Predator and Prey: New Beginings
by ViciousCerealKiller
Summary: Shadow is thrown into the world of street racers and ravers in the city of Xander unaware that he is being tracked down. Diaster strikes the hidden city. Who will come up on top when GUN begins its raid on the city of criminals and gangs M for LVSX
1. Muddy Hell

For thoes of you who have gotten bored and actually reread all of my chapters I've rewritten all of them up to 12 cause I got bored and needed to make some much needed corrections. Hope you like it.

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Chapter One: Muddy Hell!

Despite the victory at the space colony ARK more than seven hours ago, the entire planet lay quiet as they mourned the death of a great hero who gave his life to save them. A second chance was all she asked for them, a second chance to live and be happy and that is what he gave them. If only he had been given a second chance.

Rain began to pour as lightning streaked across the black sky. Two dark figures raced towards a crater in the middle of a forest. They moved swiftly for fear that what they have been searching for would be lost or destroyed by the weather. As they made their way down the sides of the crater one lost his grip and slid down the muddy wall letting out a feminine cry making it obvious the he was a she. When she finally landed, she found herself lying on something soft. She glanced down to see naked black hedgehog beneath her, battered from unknown causes. She got to her feet and stood to the side of him covered in mud as her friend came to a stop on the other side of the supposedly dead creature that held a green gem in his hand.

She bent down, removed the emerald from this grip, and held it up to her face. "Got it," she said looking up at the other with a slight smile.

"Okay, we got what we came for so let's go," he said getting ready to climb the crater.

"Wait we just can't leave him here," she said tossing him the emerald then looking to the motionless hedge. "He'll die out here."

He placed the emerald in his pocket and looked back at the hedgehog. "Nina he's dead."

"But…"

"Do you really think that someone could survive a fall like that," he argued looking at her. She knelt beside the hedgehog placing a hand on his chest running fingers over a tuft of white fur.

"He's alive!" she said in amazement. She felt his chest rise and fall, pressing her ear to his chest she could hear his heartbeat as well. "Please. We can't leave him here to die." Her eyes were sad as she looked up at him hoping to get through to him.

"Fine we'll take him with us," he said clinching his teeth. She smiled and helped him carry the hedgehog out of the crater. "This is one heavy bastard," he growled as they carried him into the woods.

"Just shut up and carry him!" the girl growled as a high wood fence came into view.

They rested beside it and the man looked up at the girl. "I'm leaving tomorrow," he said sternly. She looked away and nodded. "You'll be alright by yourself and if this guy ever wakes up and causes trouble you know what to do." The girl sighed and nodded again.


	2. It Lives!

Chapter Two: It lives again!

"Is he alive?" a child's voice asked from the edge of the bed Shadow laid in.

"Sure he's alive," whispered another child, the voice sounding exactly like the other. "He's probably in a comma."

"That's coma estúpido," said the other getting closer to Shadow's face.

Shadow turned in his sleep pulling a pillow over his head. The two young hedgehogs snickered but soon stopped as they heard their names being called from down stairs.

"ENRIQUE AND MARCUS RUEZ!" yelled a girl as she made her way through the house looking for them. "THIS IS THE LAST DAMN TIME!"

The both of them squeaked as they heard her getting closer. "She's going to kill us," one whined.

"I told you we shouldn't have let Matches loose," the other stammered crouching down beside the bed.

"I'm going to grind both of you up and serve you between two slices of bread," she screamed. "And when Jose and Paco get home I'm going to feed it to them and they're goin' to say 'Mm this is good what it's made of' and I'll just answer with…" A red hedgehog girl swung open the door to the room dressed in tight jeans and an old OzzFest concert T, the tips of her hair and quills were white just like the rest of her family. Her silver eyes glared down at her little brothers, the remains of her black leather skirt hanging in her hand.

"PLEASE DON'T KILL US," they both pleaded on the floor.

"We didn't mean to," said Enrique who wore a green shirt and blue-jean cargo shorts.

"It was an accident," Marcus explained wearing a black shirt and green cargo shorts. They both closed their eyes and hopped only for the least painful. "We're really sorry. We'll never let Matches do that again."

The girl's stare went from hard and cold to soft and warm as she looked down at them not completely forgetting she was mad. She sighed and knelt in front of them hugging them both tightly. "You know I can't stay mad at you two," she said with her eyes closed. "Your dragon on the other hand is a different story."

"Are you going to cook him too," sniffed Enrique.

"No," she replied looking at the both of them smiling softly. "Down stairs now, okay." They both nodded and headed out the door Enrique chasing Marcus laughing knowing that the danger was over.

She got to her feet shaking her head and tossed the remains of her favorite skirt in the trash basket.

"I heard dragon meat is really good for you," mumbled Shadow. He had been watching her the whole time she was in the room from beneath his pillow.

"Oh so the half dead man has jokes," she said looking down at him with a smirk on her face.

"No it's not a joke it's a fact," he said sitting up and wincing at the pain. "Anyways where am I and who are you?"

"The name is Kyleena Maria Ruez," she said holding out her hand. Shadow shook it warmly pondering over her name. They let got and she smiled a little. "And this place is our home."

"Are those your kids?" he asked sitting up more his ruby eyes scanning the room.

"Me, kids," she said laughing. "Please those are my brothers and they are more trouble than they're worth trust me." Their eyes locked for a moment before Kylee looked away.

"You've been out for a while so I'm going to go call a doctor so he can take a look at you," she said moving towards the hallway. "There are clothes over there for you." She pointed to a dresser. He nodded at her and she went on her way. She walked to the phone noting that the twins were on the couch then on the floor wrestling which was noted by a loud thud. She picked up the receiver and dialed the doctor's number.

"Hello Dr. Herbert," she said looking around the room. Her smile faded away. "No it's not Jose again or Paco." There was a pause on her end. "No, the twins' dragon didn't give them frost bite. Would you just listen for a second? We have a…" Her face turned a darker red than it already was. "NO I AM NOT PREGNANT! I am trying to tell you that we have a seriously injured man in this house. If you don't get your PhD ass over here right now I'm going to hurt you." She returned to her cheery mood and said through the receiver, "Thank you so much Dr. Herbert." She hung up the phone then picked it up again and began to dial another number.

"Angel, niña you need to get down her pronto," she said under her breath, "Yes twin trouble and much more than you can imagine."

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review please! for the love of god!


	3. Say Wha?

Chapter Three: Wonton?

Kylee sat on the couch talking to her red fox friend Angel who dressed in khaki capris and a white buttoned-up shirt. They carried on their conversation in Spanish so that only they and the twins, if they really wanted to, could talk in private.

(Translated this is what they said)

"So let me get this straight," said Angel scratching her ear. "You found thee Shadow the Hedgehog in a crater." Kylee nodded her head. Angel just gave a look of disbelief.

"You don't believe me do you?" Kylee sighed slumping in her seat. Angel went into a giggle fit as she shook her head. "Angel I'm telling you the truth." Dr. Herbert came down the stairs and walked into the living room. He seemed too young to be a doctor that and the fact that he was a gray wolf; he also had a tendency to flirt with his female patients. With a serious look about him, he nodded to Kylee but soon turned his attention to Angel who was now laughing her hardest on the carpeted floor.

"Don't ask," she mouthed to him rolling her eyes. He shrugged and walked out the door without a second glance to the two. Kylee yanked Angel's tail and sat her down on the couch. Ignoring the pain in her tail, Angel continued to laugh.

"And you're supposed to be my best friend," Kylee said looking away from her.

"Oh come on Ky," Angel said getting hold of her laughter, "you know that it's pretty damn crazy to think that someone even if it is Shadow could survive a fall like that."

"Did someone mention me?" asked Shadow as he stood in the hall holding his side. Most of his arms and chest were wrapped in bandages. He wore a pair of black shorts he found in one of the dressers that exposed the dressing on his calves. Besides the fact that he felt like hell he looked fine.

"Aye papi," Angel declared staring at Shadow almost drooling. She looked him for as much as she wanted.

"Excuse me," he said a bit confused having no idea what she said. Kylee smacked Angel on the back of the head. She turned to Shadow who still looked perplexed.

"You are supposed to be resting Shadow," she said running a hand through her hair.

Shadow was staring at Angel who was cursing loudly in Spanish. He looked back at Kylee and asked, "Is she going to be alright?"

"She's fine. Now why aren't you in bed?"

"Not to be rude or anything but I'm starving." At that exact moment, Angel lunged at Kylee the both of them falling off the couch. Shadow's eyes grew to the size of saucers as he watched the two girls wrestle on the floor.

"I know how ya feel man," Enrique stated. "Falling can really make a guy work up an appetite. Yesterday Marcus jumped off the dresser." The twins had gotten to their feet and were now pushing Shadow back down the hall and up the stairs back to the room that Shadow was in.

"I don't know why, but I wanted pie after that," Marcus said rubbing his head.

"That's because you fell on your noggin bro." There was loud screaming and cursing coming from the living room. "Don't worry about them Marcus can handle it." Marcus gave a serious look and a salute before heading back down stairs. Less than a few minutes later he was in back in the room with the others breathing hard from running.

"What happened Marcus, come on tell us," Enrique asked eager to know what he did. Marcus had a grave look on his face.

"They…" he stammered wide-eyed.

"They what?" Shadow and Enrique said in unison.

"They wanna know if you guys want egg rolls," he said retuning to his calm state laughing a bit. Shadow dropped a pillow on his head and answered his question with a yes.

When the take-out finally arrived everyone at in the room now dubbed as Shadow's. The black hedgehog sat on his bed and ate in silence as he watched a family and a friend talk and bicker, knowing full well this was just a sample of the world outside.


	4. Good Grief Shadow

Chapter Four: Good grief Shadow.

In a matter of days, Shadow was back to his full strength and yet to realize where his current location was. He became a big help around the house. While Kylee went shopping or just needed time and space to clean up, Shadow kept an eye on the twins and in some occasions would tie them up and see how long it would take for them to work their way out the tight ropes. Kylee got mad only because she wished she had thought of it first.

It was nearing the end of the week and not once had Shadow seen Jose, Paco, or the rest of her family like her mother or father. He did on the other hand meet Damien Matthews a gray echidna with a thing for shredded clothes and Jaxon Galicia a blonde-haired black otter who comes and goes as he pleases eating every bit of food in sight. Their first encounter was not pleasant and nearly resulted in a fight just before Kylee came home to stop it.

Kylee and Angel had gone shopping and as usual, Shadow was sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table in a pair of baggy black jeans bored out of his mind. Enrique and Marcus were sitting on the floor staring at him intently. Shadow looked down at the two arching a brow. "What?" he asked a little annoyed.

"We know you're trying to impress our sister," Enrique said still staring at him.

"Yeah, and you're going to have to try harder than watching us if you really want her," Marcus said with a devilish grin on his face.

"What makes you think I'm interested in Kylee," he asked turning his gaze to the TV. "You guys are what? Five or six years old."

"Stop trying to change the subject," Marcus said leaning against the couch. "We've seen the way you look at her."

"Look!" Enrique laughed. "Stare is more like it. If I were you I'd be careful what I do when he gets back."

"Who's he?"

"Our brother Jose." Shadow arched a brow.

"Yeah, even if she does like you you'll have to get past Jose if you really want her." Shadow began to flip through channels still taking in every word the twins said.

"He's got this rule 'Look, don't touch' and he means it." Enrique glared at Shadow. "Hey are you listen'?"

"Yeah man the only reason we're telling you this is cause…" Marcus trailed off as an anime appeared on the TV. They both just sat and stared.

"You we saying," Shadow asked seeing the mesmerized look on their faces. They didn't answer.

Minuets into the anime the girls came bursting through the door with bags of food in their hands. Shadow rushed over to help the two as they made their way to the kitchen. They moved in and out the house completely ignoring the fact that the twins were still transfixed in front of the T.V. Shadow often caught himself staring at Kylee on several occasions during the 20 minuets it took to put the groceries away. He gave himself a mental scolding and tried to concentrate on other matters like why the girls were smiling at him…

"Shit," he thought. He blinked before asking, "What are you smiling about?" He felt a bit uneasy having them beam at him that way. He had very little knowledge on how girls thought. Even he was shocked at Maria's reactions to the things he used to do and say. He was woken from his thoughts when he found himself being tugged up to his room by a belt loop on his pants by Kylee. Angel followed close behind carrying several large shopping bags. Now he was unnerved.

After fives hours of arguing, yelling, running, chasing, pinning, and being pinned, Shadow sat red with embarrassment; never had such a degrading thing happen to him. He was now wearing a pair of black, baggy, wide-leg jeans with over a dozen pockets and a few silver chains hanging from them. His black shirt, which was ripped in several places from the fight, had words, written in both Spanish and English, in white. Over that was an open white shirt. Around his neck rested a silver spiked chain.

"You look great," Angel said admiring her handy work. "As for me I look like hell. I'll see you two in an hour." She smiled at the both of them and walked out the door and house to her car.

Shadow looked up at Kylee, his ruby eyes piercing right through her. "Why did you do this?"

"Well, we were going to pierce you ears too," she said playing with her hair nervously, "but you would have probably killed us."

"Stop playing around Kylee," he snarled glaring at her.

"Hey calm down. Besides I can't tell you yet it's a secret."

"You've stripped me of my dignity the least you can do was tell me what the hell is going on." He wasn't fond of secretes and he was in the dark enough as is.

"Ok fine spoil sport," she said standing in the doorway. "We're going to a rave."

"A rave?" He still had no idea what was going on.

"Yeah, a rave. It's a big party where people dance and stuff." She walked out before he could ask any further questions.

In well under an hour tops, Angel was back with Damien in his black, blue, and silver Jeep and waiting outside. The echidna was adorn in black shredded everything except his shoes and spiked collar. Kylee had a time getting Shadow in as he was still asking about the "Rave" they were going to. Repeatedly they would tell him not to worry about it as they drove out of town and down a deserted rode. As the city faded away and the desert played into their surroundings, Shadow grew impatient as he watched the dark blue sky grow darker.

"Are we there yet?" he asked agitated at being stuck in a car for the past hour now.

An evil grin played across Angel and Kylee's face and they started to whine to Damien, "Are we there yet dad. Yeah, dad when are we gunna get there. I'm tired. My butt hurts."

"Ok not funny guys," Damien said gripping one hand on the wheel. Shadow looked somewhat amused.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Angel complained from the front passenger seat. "Kylee won't stop kicking my seat."

"Well Shadow hit me," Kylee said half laughing and nudging Shadow as if tying to tell him to play along.

"She hit me first," he said trying not to laugh. He found this childish but also contagious.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Dad!" all three cried stifling their laughter.

"GOD, WILL YOU GUYS SHUT THE…" Damien yelled but was cut off by Kylee when she called out.

"WE'RE HERE!" She leaned over Shadow and looked out the window. Shadow gulped hard. Her hands hand landed only inches from his crotch. To get his mind of the matter he looked up and his eyes landed on her rather large chest. His eyes grew wide and he forced himself to look out the window. He saw just a warehouse and nothing more. He arched a brow.

"This is it?" he said in disbelief. Kylee only nodded as she got back into her seat. The front was completely empty but when they pulled around to the back he saw something he didn't expect. There before he lay hundreds of cars, skate ramps and half pipes and portable stadium lights to shine on these. "This must have been what she meant by 'stuff,'" he thought with a slight smirk on his face.


	5. Get off this

**If you haven't realized yet I've rewritten all the chapters of my fic. Why? Out of boredom and writers block that and I have a tendency to leave information that's needed out. Here's the legal stuff. I don't own Shadow or any other characters created by Archie and Sega but I wish I did.**

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Chapter 5: Get off this.

The car parked and they all got out. Shadow looked around as people with all sorts of colored hair, chained clothing, and glow sticks ran to the stairs by the warehouse that seemed to go underground. Others stayed outside to ride the ramps and half pipes on skateboards, BMX bikes, and roller blades. Shadow turned back to the group looking both girls up and down. Angel was wearing a skin err fur tight red shirt that had "Pimpette" written in tiny green letters. The low-rise jeans she wore were just as tight as her shirt and fell over her red and green shoes. She wore a green bandana on her head with holes in it for her ears, chains hung from them; and a glow stick tide to her tail.

Kylee was wearing a loose blue shirt that showed off her midriff. In little white letters "Vicious" was all over her shirt. Around her neck was a silver chain with mini glow sticks on them and on her wrist. Her jeans were loose as well but hung at a slant on her hips exposing a bit of the black thong she wore. The jeans over lapped her shoes a bit and, seen by the glow, had two glow sticks wrapped in the laces. Then that's when he noticed it. The ground was shaking! There were pebbles bouncing around their feet. Before he could ask anything Kylee snatched him by the hand and pulled him to the warehouse. When they got to the door a bouncer appeared; an extremely large ape of a bouncer.

"Vicious, Dusty Bronze," he said in a growl like tone as he looked to Kylee then Angel. He looked at Damien and smirked. "Tweak." He glanced at Shadow who glared back; he shook this off and looked to Kylee. "Who's the new guy, your boyfriend?"

She blushed furiously before she said, "No this is um...Shady." She smiled. "Now if you would be so kind Bruce."

"Heh, I was only joking with ya Vicious," Bruce said stepping to the side and opening the door for them. "Have to ask questions. It's my job, besides, some guy came in here a few days ago looked like him only he was blue. They called him Blur." They walked past him only Shadow taking in all of what Bruce said.

"So he was felling a little down and his friends brought him here to have a good time, big deal," Angel said stepping in. She said this only because there is only one blue hedgehog around and that hedgehog was a girl.

"That's not the kind of blue I'm talkin' about." The door shut and they walked down a vibrating hall until they reached another door. Damien pushed it open and a blast of music hit them full force followed by a zephyr of hot air. There were searchlights of all colors flashing, lasers making designs on the floors and sometimes on people. Everywhere you looked there was someone dancing in some manner, whether they were bouncing to the music or break dancing. The only ones who were not were the DJ and the skateboarders, BMXers, and rollerbladers. As soon as Shadow opened his mouth, he was once again dragged, this time towards a crowd of people. The floor, it was moving! The music was so intense that the floor was actually moving under their feet. He was pulled further into the crowd by Kylee until it looked like they were in the center. He yelled to say something to her but could not be heard over the music. Soon Kylee, like the others, started to move her body to the music. Shadow was mesmerized by the way she moved her hands with those glow sticks making circles of color in the air. He soon found himself moving to the hypnotic beats. Suddenly the music went low.

There was a loud howling sound before someone spoke. "WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO QUAAAAAKE!" It was Jaxon, who yelled these words from behind his turntables. The otter was wearing a white tank top, baggy blue jeans, large headphones around his neck, and an orange and black stripped top hat style hat that loped over a bit. "I am your wonderful DJ tonight. My name is DJ SYYYYYYYYCHO!" There was a loud roar of cheers from the crowd. "For those of you who haven't heard, this is the place to be when you want tha beats and to have the bangest fuckin' time of your entire life. In a little while we will cut to the one thing our fabulous hangout is famous for but until then SHAKE WHAT YA MOMMA GAVE YA!"

Damien was suddenly pushing the crowd back into a circle as Angel and Kylee occupied the center. They began to dance to the beat of the music as it started out slow but picked up the pace. Their moves synchronized perfectly. They placed their hands on their hips and shook them side to side when the music said "Right, left, and back." They raised their hands into the air and rolled their hips as they turned in a circle. Shadow just watched hidden in the crowd that cheered them on, mostly men yelling catcalls which slightly irritated him.

Out of nowhere, a young red fox appeared in front of the girls and started to break dance. He did a few somersaults then two back flips. He began to spin on his head then managed to spin himself into a windmill before lying on the floor and smiling to all the girls. Kylee and Angel rolled their eyes shaking a hand at him. They nodded to each other and stepped over him, Kylee tapping him on the head with her foot. They nodded again to one another, held their laced hands over their heads, and began to shake their hips unbelievably fast first side to side then in circles. Someone yelled "Shakira" and caused the two girls to laugh but not loose their place.

They stopped facing Shadow's direction and started to do the heal-toe both holding their pants up off the floor first to the left, right, and then left again. They planted their feet on the ground, placed their hands on their knees, and started to pop biting on their own tongue. They pulled this into an archer, swinging their arms under and bringing them up again. While this happened, they slowly lowered themselves to the floor bending their knees. They held their make believe bow and arrow out in front of them and thrust twice with their hips. Shadow stood and watched still moving with the music again. They brought their hands up and over their heads again and placed them on the floor pushing them up. Now in an arch, they kicked off the floor, and did the same archer pose with their legs; the song stopped. They got back to their feet laughing and smiling as the crowd applauded them. Damien and the young red fox walked over, hugged them both, and headed towards Shadow. He nodded to them and walked with them as they made their way to a lounge in the back. The music seemed less of a distraction here and not as loud.

They sat on a couch except the young fox, who sat on the floor between Angel's legs.

"Who's that?" Shadow asked Angel as he leaned back on the couch. To his surprise, Kylee was sitting on the back of the couch right behind him. He looked up at her and she only smiled.

"This is my little brother Antonio," she responded as her brother handed her a comb from his pocket. "Everybody calls him Sly though." She started braiding his long, two-toned hair into tight cornrows.

"Is there any real reason why no one is called by their real name around here?" he asked still looking up at Kylee.

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain," Angel started out.

"It's like having an alias," Kylee stated as she, out of habit, started to play with Shadow's spikes. He didn't mined as he closed his eyes letting her do what ever.

"Yeah that's it. An alias. People come here to escape their real lives and they get nicknames for the way they act or what they do. Like Antonio for instance, he's called Sly cause he thinks he's slick and he is some times. Damien got his cause he likes to fuck with people's heads."

"Yeah and Angel got hers cause after she beats you in a dance contest she dust off her pants like a cowboy," Damien added pinching Kylee's thigh. She smacked him on the back of the head. "You can only guess why we call her Vicious." He rubbed his head smirking at her.

"We call her the Vicious Raver," Angel said finishing up her brother's hair, "cause she's a vary aggressive dancer. You'd have to be nuts to be her dance partner." Kylee appeared completely oblivious to the conversation at hand as she stared across to the otter leading hundreds of people into a trance like the Pied Piper.

"Geez, it's like fighting with the girl," Damien said putting his hands behind his head. "I learned that the hard way. You have to have control over her if you wanna live dancing with her."

Shadow was barely paying attention to what they were saying as Kylee continued to play with his spikes. He felt her fingertips glide across his ear and down the side of his face. A blissful smile played across his face and yet no one noticed but Kylee as she looked down at him and smiled.


	6. Circut Breaker

Chapter 6: Circuit breaker

Some hundred thousand miles away in a secret facility under Station Square, scientist were hard at work restoring a fallen hero.

"Professor Straum," a young lab assistant in a white coat said, "we have completed repairs on the memory chip like you requested." He held out a gloved hand to reveal the microchip that rested in his palm. Professor Straum, a tall brown haired man who looked quite young himself, took the chip from him and carefully placed it inside the robotic head sitting before him. There was a high-pitched humming from the head as it powered up. The red eyes flashed on and scanned the lit room. Straum stood before it admiring his work.

"Where am I? Who are you? What's going on?" the head asked looking up at the professor. "Where is my body?"

"First off you're in my lab. I'm Professor William Straum. In addition, I repaired you, well, just your head, memory and various commands. As for your body, it's still being repaired in another lab," he said coolly.

"When will my body be ready?" it asked watching Straum pace back and forth.

"It should be ready tomorrow morning," he answered as he looked down at his clipboard.

"Why isn't it ready now?" The head sounded aggravated.

"The ones who are supposed to be working on it left to go to some rave or what ever it is they call it. Heh, kids these days." There was an awkward silence as Straum scribbled on his clipboard and flipped through some papers.

"Tell me Straum," the head spoke breaking the silence, "how did I end up here?"

"You know it was the strangest thing," Straum began as he pulled up a stool to sit down on, "a detective Moto came to our facility asking to have you rebuilt. The crate containing your pieces wasn't much to work off from, but there were files stored in our information banks about you. We don't do personal request here but my employer found interest in this little…project." He leaned back and rubbed his head. He'd been yelled at and threatened several times for refusing to take up the task.

"I see…"

"Well now that that's out of the way, I have something to ask you. How in the universe did you end up that way?"

"I was responding to a break in. A strange hedgehog who looked familiar stole the chaos emerald from the city. I was trying to get it back. I failed terribly as you can see," there was a hint of shame in his robotic voice.

"Did this hedgehog happen to be a black one?"

"I'm not real sure. It was dark and all I remember seeing were these two red eyes."

"I see. Wait right here," Straum said as he got to his feet.

"As if I could go any where," the head said with a groan. In a short while, Straum was back with a disk in his hand. He pulled a small screen around to sit in front of the both of them and placed the disk in the slot under the screen. A video began and showed something black and small running on the streets. The sound of a helicopter could be heard along with someone's voice, a reporter.

"The police of Station Square are in pursuit of the thief right now as I speak," the reporter yelled over the wind from the blades. "We'll try and see if we can get a closer look." Twice the figure glanced back at the helicopter and each time the camera tried to get a better look at his face. The figure turned into a dead end in a dark alley and just stood facing the brick wall. The search light from the helicopter illuminated the area and stopped on the figure. The camera zoomed in only to show the back of Shadow's head. He held the green Chaos emerald in his right hand and turned to look up at the helicopter that hovered overhead. Shadow had a malicious grin on his face as he held up the emerald aiming it at the helicopter.

"He seems to be doing something, but I'm not quite sure what," the reporter said. A green glow emitted from the jewel and engulfed Shadow. "What the hell?" The reporter was practically leaning out of the chopper.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" Shadow cried out.

"HOLLY SHIT!" the reporter cried. The camera view got blurry, as things seemed to whirl around the helpless crew before it went black. When the camera came back, still a bit fuzzy, there were flames and pieces of shredded copter and broken building. The picture went in and out. The third time it was clear and showed Shadow looking down at it, that grin still on his face. The last was when he brought his foot down to crush it; the video stopped.

Straum backed up the video to show Shadow looking at the camera. He zoomed in on his face. "Is this your red eyed friend?" He asked arching a brow.

"Yes," it said in a stern voice. "Who is this hedgehog? Tell me now."

"This is Shadow," he stated, "thought to be the ultimate life form. He was made, well, more like genetically altered, from birth by Professor Gerald Robotnik. It is a shame really. His greatest work turned into a killing machine. All of that destruction over some girl, at least that's what I've been told."

"It's settled then. When I receive my new body I will track down Shadow and make him pay for what he has done," the head said.

"That is going to be hard to do since he has been dead for almost a weeks." Straum got to his feet and put the screen and disk away. "Well lights out for now. I'll be back in the morning to help out with restoring you completely. Feel free to power down. You know, conserve your energy." Straum shut off the lights and left the room closing the door behind him.

Outside in the florescent hall stood a group of men dressed in black suits. They all had a serious look on their face as they stared down at Straum. "Is he ready?" one asked in a dull tone.

"He will be in due time," said Straum standing before them. They grinned and turned to walk away.

"Be sure to call Carter down to finish off the programming," the same one called back to him.

"Yes sir." Straum turned on his heal and walked the opposite direction down the hall mumbling under his breath. He had a terrible feeling that the board was not telling him or his group something important. The facility had been unusually quiet but active too working on something big.


	7. Shake Down

Chapter 7: Shake down

Shadow sat bored by himself in the lounge. His ruby gaze would wander around the crowded, wild, warehouse, but would always land back to where he started, Kylee. "The way her body moves matches perfectly to the music," he thought to himself, "but why am I thinking this?" His eyes went over every curve of her body, stopping in several places. He flashed back to the moment they had together before hand. He shook his head ridding him of those thoughts. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked aloud.

"I don't know. You tell me," said someone close to him.

"Who said that?" Shadow looked left and right and even under the couch. You could never tell where someone was going to pop up here and he wasn't about to not expect anything except maybe what happened next.

"Just a friend of the one you've been watching." A bat dropped down from nowhere and stood before him. He was a black bat maybe no taller than Shadow was. His hair was black and red and he wore gray cargo bondage pants with a white tank top. He had a mask hanging from his neck and gloves with the fingers cut out on his hands. In his pockets and hands were spray paint cans. He put down one of the paint cans and extended a hand. "They call me Dragon," he said with a smirk on his face.

Shadow arched a brow as he shook his hand. "The names Shadow," he said getting to his feet.

"I see you've been watching my friend Kylee over there. I don't blame ya she's one piece of work, but like they say man, look don't touch."

"Heh, her little brothers told me the same thing." He looked back out into the crowd and Kylee caught his eye. She winked and went on dancing.

"So you've already meet her family then." It didn't seem like a question but it still begged for an answer.

"Actually they found me." Shadow had a slight hazy look to his eyes.

"You like her don't you?" Dragon said looking at him, grinning ear to ear.

"Me!" Shadow gave him a look and waved away the question with his hand. "Nah, man. She's…"

"Seductive, beautiful, everything you could ever want? Come on man stop me when I'm right," laughed Dragon grinning wolfishly.

"Sounds like you've had a lot of time to think about this," Shadow said smirking. "How do I know you're not the one interested in her?"

"Well, actually it's pretty damn common for guys to fall for Diablo girls like Kylee," Dragon said and picked up his spray can.

"What's a Diablo?" he asked trying to remember what the name meant.

"I'll tell ya later," he said pointing out that Kylee was approaching. He fell back on the couch and looked down at the floor as it suddenly stopped moving. He arched a brow and looked up. The music had stopped and some people were even leaving the floor to sit in the lounges. Kylee walked up to Shadow with a grin on her face. She looked to Dragon then back to him.

"I see you've met the artist of our twisted little group," she said coolly.

"Artist?" he said looking at Dragon. He smiled and pointed behind him to the huge wall. It was covered in pictures of dragons and angels. One angel looked exactly like Kylee and under it were the words "In loving memory…" Shadow tried to read the name that followed but once again found his self being pulled by the belt loop of his pants towards a staircase then up to a crowded platform. Kylee led him to the far end of the platform and turned to stare deep into his eyes.

"I'm tired of seeing that bored look on your face," she said smiling at him. "I want to see you have fun dance with or without me. It's your choice." Shadow yet again arched a brow but did not complain. He never danced in his life, but, like many times before, he would have to learn from observing.

Before he could answer, a howling rang through the speakers followed by a devilish laugh. "Ladies and Gents," Jaxon yelled through his mic, "it's time for what you've all been waiting for." All over Quake, large bass speakers and subwoofers were being placed along the walls and even face down on the floor. "Party people, keep ya feet and stay with the beat cause it's time for the Shake Down!" Just as suddenly, as the music stopped it began sending huge waves through the floor. Shadow, like many people, fell to the floor from the intense shaking of their legs. Kylee, laughing a bit, helped him to his feet.

"Keep ya feet moving and you'll be fine," she yelled over the music and danced off. Shadow watched her before he found his feet moving to the hypnotic beat. Soon he was dancing like everyone around him, slaves to the music. Kylee danced close to him, slipped two glow sticks into his hands, and went on with her own thing. He looked a bit lost but looked around him and got the idea. His hands, as if they had a mind of their own, moved with the music with out his knowing. The boosters on his shoes allowed him to do ridiculously high flips over people. He landed on one hand in front of Kylee and grinned madly at her.

"Show off," she yelled looking down at him as she pushed him on to his back.

He got to his feet and followed as she danced shouting, "Look who's talking."

"Jealous," she said over her shoulder.

"Of what?"

"Me, cause you wish you could move like this." She danced circles around him teasingly shaking her hips. He just shoed her away and went on about his business letting his gaze wander back to her every now and then.

Kylee watched Shadow out of the corner of her eye. He seemed to be enjoying himself just dancing around without a care. She had heard so many terrible things about him. Rumors of him having a destructive nature. Ruthless and merciless was what the few around Xander said who knew what was going on outside of town. She refused to believe any of it. All she saw was another teen who made some bad choices. There were many people like that in Xander that is why it was nicknamed Outcast Valley, a secluded valley in the middle of the desert nearly oblivious to the outside world.

Kylee woke from her daze only to realize she had danced too close to the edge of the platform. She stopped dancing and pulled back her hair to look over the edge. Her head began to spin when she realized how high it was. Closing her eyes, Kylee stepped back a ways. Her retreat backfired when a tiger dancing wildly rammed into her sending her flying over the edge. She opened her eyes but soon closed them, her fate all too clear as she screamed bloody murder. A black streak darted through the air snatching Kylee from every person's horror-stricken eyes. Them both landing hard on the floor caused her body to grow tense in Shadow's arms. Her face buried in his chest, she listened to his heartbeat calmly. Her gaze was drawn to his at the touch of his gloved hand on her cheek. For a long while, Shadow just stared into her frightened eyes, the silver glow almost eerie as they brimmed with tears.

"Please don't cry," he said in his mind repeatedly. He would do anything to keep her from crying. He said this so many time in his head that he accidentally spoke them to her.

"Thank you," said barely above a whisper and she smiled weakly laying her head back down on his chest. He just closed his eyes and held her close to him. Soon the others started to gather around them, one new gray cat, and even Jaxon, who left his post to see if his friend was all right.

There seemed to be an aura around the two as they just sat there. Shadow looked so lovingly protective of Kylee the way he held her. No one dared touch them or even speak except Angel who suggested they take her home. He did not say a word as he got to his feet and carried Kylee out of the warehouse and back to the jeep with everyone following. Through the car ride home he held her and sat in the living room with her all night until she fell asleep.


	8. Break the System

Chapter 8: Break the System

"WHERE ARE THOSE KIDS!" Straum hollered as he paced in a lab filled with all sorts of robot parts. There were welding tools and other tools as well scattered on the many benches and even on the floor, a complete mess. To the far end of the room was a row of tables, each with a white sheet covering something. The robotic head sat on a table in the middle of the room watching Straum pace as it waited for its new body. "These engineers are so irresponsible and they have no life experience what so ever," he growled.

"Why do you say that?" the head asked having become extremely curious in what seemed to be over night.

"The youngest one is fourteen," he emphasized fourteen very animatedly. "He's not even old enough to drive and he designs and builds jets and assault vehicles. All they go on about are girls, video games, and cars. Some of these designs they saw in comic books." He pointed to the very strange and extremely futuristic looking vehicles lined along the wall. "On top of it all," he added, "I have to work with them every day. It's like running a zoo."

"Stressful?"

"There isn't even a word to describe it. I'm stuck here working with eight teenagers." Just then, a group of teenaged boys burst through the double doors. The all looked tired and some didn't even bother to comb their hair or even finish getting dressed noted by the smallest one just finishing pulling on his shirt.

"Where have you been?" Straum bellowed. The boys all jumped rubbing their heads.

"Hey Will, no need to yell man," said the smallest one waving past him with his eyes half shut, the bright fluorescent lights causing him to squint. "We were out on the town. Didn't Jamie tell you?"

"Yes she told me," he answered balling his hands into fists.

"Then what's the prob old man?" asked a black fox standing strangely taller than even the oldest human that was eighteen. He was the first and probably only Mobian to be allowed into the secret facility. Apparently, his skills were dearly needed.

"There's such a thing as a curfew," the professor hissed.

"So, the place was far and bangin' too," said the eighteen year old walking over to a workbench as the others followed. "Something you'd probably know nuthin' about."

"Yeah Will, you're such a stiff," said another picking up a wrench. "You need to learn how to partay!"

"Sounds like you spend more time having fun than you do working," the robotic head inquired.

"Whoa check it out," the fox said moving over to the head. "Hey the tin man's awake." The other six boys walked over and examined it closely.

"Does it have a name?" the young one asked getting in its face. The eyes grew narrow and a bright red.

"My name is Silver Sonic 2," it said in an annoyed tone. They backed away a bit and just looked at it.

"Weird but cool name," the young one spoke again. "Well, my name is Jake." He pointed to the boys as he called out their names according to height, "That's Andy, Mark, Tommy, Kevin, Daniel, and fox man over there is Jordan."

They all nodded and Jordan turned hearing someone approach. A tall girl with brown hair and glasses stood in the doorway looking around at the mess. She sighed and walked up to them trying to find out what had their attention. "Wow, is that the robot head Will's been workin' on?" she asked bending over to get a better look.

"Jamie, I wouldn't get so close if I were you," Jake said yawning. "The dude's pretty temperamental about his personal space."

"Yeah, whatever shorty," she tapped him on the nose and headed to the tables covered with sheets. "Come on boys we got work to do."

"As you wish our queen," the boys said bowing and following her bringing Silver Sonic 2 with them. Straum just stood off to the side shaking his head at the lack of maturity in the room. He imagined this is what high school teaches had to go through five days a week.

Jamie started tossing the sheets to the floor revealing four metal hedgehog bodies, nearly the height of Jordan minus the head, in the colors of black, crimson, a murky hunter green, and a silverish-gray.

"Why are there so many?" Silver Sonic 2 asked scanning the bodies.

"They couldn't agree on one color," Jamie answered walking up to a sheet that was upright. "I picked for them seeing as how your head was already blue." She glared at them and pulled down the sheet bring an electric blue body into view. "This is your new body."

"Oh yeah, sure blues an alright color," Andy yawned rubbing his eyes, "but what about the black?"

"Or that blood red one?" Kevin asked resting his hand on the metal body.

"It's blue, it's going to stay blue end of discussion," Jamie said giving them a deadly stare. "And I thought I asked you two to clean up your mess the other day. I can't find a damn thing." She was searching through one of the toolboxes for a screw driver.

"We got distracted," answered Kevin snickering as he and Andy went to pick up the mess of tools scattered around the room.

"Doing what?" she asked as the others helped to lay the body on a high table and place the head next to it.

"Uh," Andy looked up at her backside and grinned, "watchin' the paint dry."

"Oh yeah," Kevin laughed. "It was very exciting till you got your big ass in the way." Jamie hurled a bolt at his head and he ducked. She rolled her eyes and started helping Jordan and Daniel put together wires while the others made sure that everything was in working order. First were finger and hand movements, followed by complete mobility of the arms. Then they moved onto the legs and finally the neck.

"Amazing," Silver Sonic 2 said getting off the table still flexing his joints. "I feel like new."

"You better," Jake said crossing his arms. "We've upgraded you to make you stronger, faster…"

"And smarter," Mark said giving Tommy a high five. "You have an infinite memory bank and artificial intelligence system. You can learn things just like the rest of us only a bit quicker."

"We also had emotions put in," Tommy whispered, "but that's a secret between us and our buddy Carter."

"Okay that's enough talking," Straum said walking over to the group. "It's time for the weapons and speed tests."

"What ever you say Will," they all said as they lead their new friend out the lab after Straum and down the brightly lit hallway.

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**I usually don't ask for things but guys please review. I need to know just how good I am at this writing thing.**


	9. Life is a battlefield and the heart, a w...

Chapter 9: Life is a battlefield and the heart, a warrior.

The entire Ruez house was completely silent as the group of teens slept in the living room dimly lit by a small lamp. Sly lay sprawled out on a couch with his tail waving in the gray cat's face who, in turn, had her tail beating against Jaxon's leg. Jaxon had his arms wrapped around Angel's waist and his head rested on her thigh. Angel's head lay on Damien's legs as he slept in a recliner with his head on the arm. To the far end of the room in a dark corner lay Kylee and Shadow in a peaceful slumber in each other's arms. The only person missing from the mass of bodies spread out on top, under, and by furniture was Dragon. The sound of a spray-can could be heard coming from outside the house. Shadow's ears twitched and he slowly rose to his feet reaching for a pillow to rest under Kylee's head. When he was sure she would not wake, he headed outside to find the source of the noise. He walked to the back yard and it came as no surprise to find Dragon spray painting on a brown wood fence. He was unable to see what he was doing, but his attention was drawn to the fact that what he was creating was part of something bigger. At the beginning of the fence, the words "Shadow Gates" were written in red and black.

"Well, if that isn't a big coincidence," he thought to himself as he continued to look over the art on the fence. Each scene seemed to blend into the next with all sorts of vibrant colors. Besides the dragon and angel wings, each scene had one thing in common, the people in them. The whole gang that was asleep in the living room was depicted on this fence from what looked like street racing, fights to parties, and raves. It was as if you could feel the atmosphere, see the movement, and hear the sounds of it all. Shadow followed the, what he called memory fence, to where Dragon stood.

Dragon stepped back to where Shadow was standing and nodded at his work. Shadow looked amazed to find that he was in it. It was the same scene from last night with a twist to it. Kylee looked to be an angel with her wings chained to her sides unable to fly. Shadow had the huge black wings of a dragon and his eyes were a streak of crimson as he soared through the sky to catch her. That was faded into where Shadow had Kylee in his arms, their wings clashing together. For a second Shadow swore he saw his own portrait glare at him.

"Ya know they keep telling me they keep moving if you stare too long," Dragon said as he continued to admire his work. "Weird, huh?"

"Oh, yeah," Shadow agreed snapping out of his trance.

"Ami calls me the Artist from Hell, claims I put blood in my paint cans."

"Who's Ami?" he asked already having a slight clue from the way he had behaved the night before.

"She's that gray cat you saw the other night." Dragon's cheek went a bit pink at the thought but they turned back and he headed for a huge tree in the middle of the yard. "But you're not here to hear about her. You're still wonderin' about the Diablos aren't you?" Dragon sat down under the tree pushing a swing that was hanging from a branch with his hand.

"So who are they?" Shadow asked leaning against the tree.

"They're a gang and a very big one at that," he started. "They've been around for years. Most of the members today had dads who were members. There were only two ways to leave, you either died or abandoned them all together. They all seemed to choose death. For years, their numbers grew and so did their territory. They rule over nearly a third of the city including some of the wastelands."

"So what does this have to do with Kylee?"

"Her bother, like their dad, was and still is the leader of the Diablos making her and every other girl related to or dating any member a Diablo Girl. Their off limits to anyone not a Diablo, but Ky is off limits period. She's watched almost constantly, but that doesn't mean she can't take care of herself. There's more than one reason why they call her Vicious."

"I don't even have to ask do I." Shadow pulled at the grass around the tree roots and watched the blades slid through his fingers.

"She and Angel used to be underground street fighters," he said pausing to hear his reaction.

"You're kidding right?" Dragon shook his head. "Then why? I mean she did have her parents around to say something against it." Shadow found this very hard to believe but the physical fights Kylee and Angel seemed to get into constantly hinted at something. No ordinary friends fight like that.

"See that's the things," he sighed. "After her mom died and her dad disappeared without a trace it was just Jose and her left to raise their bothers. Jose did what he had to, took his dad's place as leader, and became a bounty hunter just like him. Kylee learned to fight at a young age with Angel so they become fighters. It was easy money and the stakes were always high. It wasn't until her bother found out that they had to end their reign as champions."

They sat there for a while silent listening to the morning birds. Shadow's mind wandered to the graffiti at Quake. The angel that resembled Kylee. The name under her was Kathleen. "So that was her," he said breaking the quiet. "You know the mural."

"Yeah that's her," Dragon sighed with a sad look in his eyes.

"How did she die?" he asked but didn't expect an answer to such a question.

"You'll have to ask Kylee," he said simply, got up, and walked back to the house. Shadow followed taking one last glance at the Shadow Gates.

The rest of the day was spent just sitting around and talking to the others in the living room while Ami slept on the couch she now laid on. In a few short hours, Shadow learned the finer points of the group and some things that were just too obvious. They laughed and made fun of one another at any given moment while eating pizza and soda. Shadow also learned a strange game the group play involving burping. A person would burp then everyone had to say a color. Apparently, the last person to say a color had to make a sex noise. He really didn't understand until everyone said a color except Kylee who gave out an erotic scream. His eyes were wide in amazement and came to the quick conclusion that he didn't want to be the last person ever. Later into the night, the twins finally returned from a friend's house exhausted from playing all day. The group, deciding it was time to head home, said good night and left to their homes, Jaxon carrying the still sleeping Ami with him.

While Kylee tucked away Enrique and Marcus, Shadow searched the kitchen for something preferably loaded in sugar. He just suddenly had a craving for something sweet. His search seemed fruitless for sometime until he discovered a large stash of candy hidden behind a few jars on the top shelf. Just as he popped a piece of caramel in his mouth, his ear twitched to a sweet melody that was coming from the twins' room. Curious, he went to find out just whom it was coming from. He stood just outside their door when he could hear the words clearly coming from Kylee's voice.

_I don't wanna say good-bye, so I'll say good night and hope that tomorrow will be right for you, kind and true. So I can sing good night and not good-bye._

Those were the last few words that he heard come from her. He was now leaning against the wall with his eyes shut. He could barely remember the lullaby that was sung to him when he was a babe.

Kylee walked out of her brothers' room closing the door behind her. She sighed, as she got lost in her memories of the days when her mother sang her to sleep.

"That was a nice song," Shadow said snapping her back to reality.

She looked up at him, smiled weakly, and said, "It's been in my family for some time now." Shadow allowed his ruby hues to gaze deep into hers as he smiled warmly. "Come on." She motioned for him to follow her out into the backyard. She sat down on a picnic able to the far end of the yard. Shadow sat beside her and just gazed at her in the light of the stars.

She turned way from the Shadow gates to look at him. "What?" she asked laughing a bit.

"Nothing," he said smiling again, "it's just that you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. She was as spastic as you and cared a lot like you do."

"So what happened to her?" she asked looking up at the stars.

"She died," he answered in a sad tone. "She was shot by some really fucked up people."

"My mother died the same way," she said lowering her gaze to the ground. An ice blue dragon crawled out from under the table and scurried off into the house. "We were walking home from shopping, my mom, and me. I was only thirteen and the twins were only a year old. We'd spent the whole day at the mall buying clothes and baby toys for my bothers. My dad was away on another bounty and Jose spent most of his day playing football with his friends. At the time there were two smaller gangs fighting in the area that we were walking through. Before we knew it, the street became a war zone. There were bullets flying in all directions and we were in the middle of it. I had my back turned when a bullet came towards me. She…she sacrificed herself to save me. The bullet shot through her and still managed to hit me. She died there on the street." Kylee's sliver eyes shut as she bit down on her quivering lip, the image still so fresh in her memory.

"You probably felt scared and alone," Shadow said lifting her chin up with his hand. "Like if you called out for help no one would hear you." Her eyes were brimming with tears as she stared into his dark red gaze. She stopped nibbling at her lip to say something but Shadow pressed his lips to hers, kissing her with a deep passion.

"Kylee, I just want you to know something," he said after breaking the kiss, "and that's I love you and I promise to always protect you."

**

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Is asleep Romance ****mumble mumble** Mmm moving too fast! WAIT **wakes up**…Where'd that camera come from? I know someone out there is screaming NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOT ANOTHER ONE! For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about just live your lives blissfully unaware. Romance Mmm moving too fast! WAIT …Where'd that camera come from? I know someone out there is screaming NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOT ANOTHER ONE! For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about just live your lives blissfully unaware. 

REVIEW YOU UNGREATFUL BASTARDS!


	10. A little water never hurt

**Snigger** This chapter is dirty!

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Chapter 10: A little water never hurt

"Shadow, look out!" Damien yelled to Shadow who was standing by a tree. He looked around trying to find out where the danger was coming from but there was nothing in the streets or in the yards.

There was infectious giggling coming from some place close. "Gah!" he choked as he took a face plant into the grass feeling twenty pounds heavier. A little, purple, spotted, girl cat rolled off his back giggling and made a run for it towards one of the backyards. Shadow got to his feet and easily caught up to her plucking her off the ground and tossing her in the air and catching her.

"This was supposed to be hide and seek not ambush," he scolded in a non-serious tone as Damien walked up to them. She only laughed and yelled something in the Spanish wriggling out of his grip and running off again. Shadow smiled and looked to the gray echidna. "What was that about?" He shrugged, but was soon covered in water, the remains of a water balloon on his head. Shadow tried his hardest to suppress a laugh but a water balloon too hit him. A colorful mirage of water balloons rained down on them. At first, they were standing still with their hands over their heads laughing then they flashed each other a grin and started to sway on the spot yelling as if they were in agonizing pain. Both fell to the ground with a convincing thud, Shadow on his stomach and Damien on his back. The assault ceased and a dozen or so children, including the purple cat, come out of hiding to stand around their bodies.

"Are they dead?" one would ask.

"You check," another said.

"No you." The group spent some time arguing whether or not they were still alive. The purple cat crept up to Shadow and poked him. He did not move. She poked him again and still he did not move. She looked down at his tail and smiled as she reached up and gave his tail a good yank. Shadow and Damien jumped up growling at them. The kids all screamed and ran in all directions.

"NOW!" Damien hollered and Jaxon and Antonio popped out from behind two different buildings, each with a water hose in his hands, and sprayed the panicking children soaking them all.

"That's right munchkins. Run!" Jaxon laughed insanely. Antonio arched a brow towards him.

"Gigit, chill out," he said pointing his hose at the ground. Jaxon sized him up and soaked his pant leg. This started the war between Sly and Gigit. The children chose sides and armed themselves with water guns and balloons. There was a slight problem though; Jaxon kept turning on his own teammates who in turn did the same.

Shadow and Damien sat under a huge tree watching the water warfare continue, laughing every time Jaxon got beat into submission by the kids. In a short while, Dragon arrived at the tree with a bag slung over his shoulder and a mask hanging from his neck.

"Hey guys," he yawned dropping down before them. They nodded and laughed as Jaxon and Antonio had their own hoses set against them. Dragon turned to looked and smirked shaking his head. "Will they ever grow up?"

"Probably not," Damien answered leaning against the tree trunk.

Dragon turned to Shadow and grinned. "So I've been told you and Kylee are together," he remarked setting his bag aside.

"Who told you that?" Shadow asked blinking amazed that word could spread so fast under twenty-four hours.

"Well no one really told me." Dragon gaze him a look.

"Okay so how did you get your news this time?" Damien inquired grinning.

"I heard it through the grape vine," he sang doing a little groove. "In other words, I walked past Kylee's garage."

"Are they workin on Ky's bike again?" the otter asked scratching his ear. Dragon nodded and pulled three sodas out of his bag and handed each of them one. "Figures. Those girls always workin on somethin' when they talk. Like when Ky's mom died, she locked herself in that garage for days workin on her bike."

"Real Sad man. The bike had a new paint job and everything," Dragon said gulping down his soda. "She missed school and a concert she'd been lookin' forward to for weeks."

"It was green," Shadow stated looking up into the tangle of branches. Dragon and Damien glanced at one another. Kylee never spoke of her bike in that design. They by accident stumbled upon the new look and told the others but never let Kylee realize it. "It had 'Kat's Little Angel' written in silver. She kept it under a sheet in the back of the garage," Shadow continued absentmindedly pulling at the blades of grass. "She rode it one time. It was just before the sun came up. She rode all the way out to a gorge." It was as if he was there when all this happened. He gazed in the direction that the gorge would be, his eyes looking faded. Shadow blinked out of his trance and looked at Damien and Dragon who were both gawking at him.

"She told you all this?" Dragon asked curiously.

"No," he said plainly looking up at the tree branches again. He was slowly coming to grips with his knowledge of the event. He knew he had seen all that happen, but he wasn't awake when Kylee was thirteen. He didn't know that she had a motorcycle either until this very day. All he knew was that he was in an ageless sleep when all this occurred. Shadow concluded that he could never really explain any of this. "It was a dream," declared simply not meeting their inquisitive stares. The trio just sat there in silence, Damien and Dragon exchanging glances.

Meanwhile, Ami, Angel, and Kylee were deep in conversation.

"So let me get this straight," the gray cat known as Ami began, "before he said he loved you, he just straight up kissed you. No tongue, no nuthin?" She typed at her laptop as she sat on the hood of a jet-black hummer in front of the two girls working on a naked motorcycle.

"Yeah," Kylee said smiling with her hair tied back and spots of grease on her jeans and shirt. She walked over to a tool cabinet, crabbed a wrench, and sat down next to her bike.

"I think it's sweet," Angel sighed pulling off one of the tires.

"Yeah okay whatever." Ami didn't even bother to look up from her laptop as the girls gave her disapproving looks. "Hey, like they say, an orange is an orange and a plum is a plum but a kiss ain't a kiss without some tongue." She ducked out of the way in time for a rag to fly over her head.

"When you grow out of that give me a call," Angel hissed removing the other tire and setting it by a stack of tires taller than her. "Which ones did you say you wanted, Ky?"

"The ones that have the ninja star rims," she answered carrying a chain over to an empty workbench. Angel started pulling tires down until she found the two she needed and set them by the unfinished bike. "Hey, Spooky, let's see the design again." Kylee rose to her feet and walked over to Ami waiting patiently.

Angel glanced up at Ami's blank stare, streams of data running through her hazel eyes. She leaned closer and waved a hand in front of her face. "Mission control to Spooky one," she called. "Spooky what are you doing?" She grabbed the laptop and looked at the screen. "What the hell is this?" She walked over to a workbench and sat down as Ami panicked waving her arms franticly for her precious computer.

"It's nothing," she cried scrambling off the hood and making a grab for the laptop. "Really, just give it back." Ami tried to snatch it once more but Kylee bumped her out of the way and sat down next to Angel as she scanned files and pages.

"Aw, he's so cute," she cooed gazing down at a picture of a baby hedgehog wrapped in a blanket.

Ami blinked and slid down next to Angel. "Let me see," she said leaning over to get a better look. "I knew it!"

"Knew what?" Angel and Kylee asked.

"Look at the markings on him," she said pointing to the light markings on the spikes, arms, and legs. Kylee gasped and Angel's mouth dropped. "See, that's Shadow."

"Spooky, where'd you get this?" Angel whispered scrolling through the rest of the page.

"A while back, like a year or something," she began folding her legs under her, "there were rumors spreading around cyber space about this thing called ARK. Something about a prototype and a space station blah, blah, blah. Anyway, being the curious little cat that I am, I hacked into a few government systems to try to find out more. I kept hitting a bunch of dead ends so I gave up for a while. It wasn't till meteor man showed up that I dug it back up. Shadow,"

"That's what they call me," he said cutting her off as he walked into the garage followed by Damien and Dragon. "Whatcha girls lookin at?"

"Just a bike design," Angel said quickly, she Xed out of the ARK files, and pulled up the bike design Kylee asked for earlier. Shadow sat down next to Kylee, kissed her on the cheek, and looked the bike.

"You came up with this Kylee?" he asked showing Damien and Dragon.

"Actually, I did," Ami said sliding off the bench. She bumped into Dragon on her way to get her computer. Their eyes met for a second and they both looked away blushing a bit. She took her laptop from him and sat down on the hummer again.

"You're really talented Ami," he said looking around the garage, stopping on the place where the bike would have sat under a sheet six years ago.

"Thanks," she said blushing again as he smiled at her. "Call me Spooky okay? Everyone does anyway."

"Well come on Dusty," Kylee said getting to her feet. "Let's get back to work." She and Angel marched back to the bike with Angel totting a small tool kit. Together they removed the engine while Ami typed away again making sure everything they needed was in the garage. Damien began re-greasing the chain that was set aside while Dragon and Shadow felt useless as they moved about switching tools, checking blue prints, and taking off and on parts.

"Now all we need is the engine," Angel stated after they readjusted a few parts and aligned the new wheels. "Hey Tweak." She looked around for Damien. "Damn it where is that igit?"

"He went to get another chain," Shadow answered moving over to what he thought was the engine they needed. "Is this it?" He pointed to it. Ami looked up from the computer screen and nodded going on to talking about the bike's paint job with Dragon.

"How about a white angel on a red background," Dragon suggested. "Like Ky's freaky hair." Kylee shot him a dirty look.

"What about a red dragon on a blue background," Ami recommended clicking a few choice items. "Like the way people look after she kicks their ass." Shadow set the engine down next to the almost finished bike when Kylee got to her feet.

"How about my foot in yo," she started but was cut off when Dragon suggested a white angel on a black background. Kylee sat back down growling and started on putting the new engine in place with Angel and Shadow. In a short while, Ami and Dragon left to work on the bikes paint job in the backyard and Angel to up stairs to wash up.

"Alone at last," Shadow said wrapping his arms around Kylee. She smiled and he gave her a very deep kiss.

When their lips separated, she asked, with a smirk on her face, "What was that?"

"A kiss ain't a kiss without some tongue," he echoed with a grin on his face.

"You heard that!" she gasped. "That means you heard everything else." She stayed mumbling to herself in Spanish nervously.

"It's okay," he assured giving her a light kiss to calm her. "I know I was going to have to tell you anyways and well now seems like a good time." Damien stumbled in laughing and running out of breath with Angel on his back who looked like she had tears in her eyes from laughing too hard.

"Hey Romeo and Juliet," Damien breathed adjusting Angel a bit. He began to spin around and she giggled tightening her grip around his neck to keep from falling. "Me and some of the guys are bout to play some ball. Wanna come?"

"Go on," Kylee said to Shadow giving him a peck on the cheek. "I'll be there to watch I just have to clean up first."

"Come on," Angel laughed hopping off Damien's back and running over to grab his hand. Shadow gave her one last kiss before he was pulled away and out of sight.

He followed the energetic duo to a huge open field where Antonio, Dragon, Jaxon and a few other guys he didn't know were waiting. Ami and some unknown girls were sitting to the side of the green turf with a big radio sitting between them. Angel ran over to join the girls and Damien started to introduce Shadow to the strangers.

" Shadow, this is Alex and Mario," he said pointing to a green hedgehog and a black echidna, "David, Jessie, Luis, and Matt," a brown otter, a skunk, a coyote, and a brown bear waved in the order his name was called, "the twins Roger and Jordan, and last but not least, Paco." Two pure white wolves said hello and a large black panther stepped forward to look down at Shadow.

At first Paco just stared him down with a stern look, then a wide grin spread across his face and he grabbed hold of him putting Shadow in a killer bear hug lifting him clear off the ground. He, setting him back down, stepped back to shake Shadow's hand. "So you're the kid dating my holmes' baby sister," he said still smiling, "heard you saved her life the other night. Good job."

"Yeah," Shadow said still trying to regain his breath. "News seems to spread fast around here."

"Like wild fire man," said the wolf twin Jordan, who was holding a football. "So are we gunna talk like a bunch of little chicas or are we gunna play?"

"Alright," Paco yelled as he stretched the group into a circle, "shirts to my left and furs to my right. Roger, Jordan, if you would be so kind." Jordan stood to the right of Paco and took off his shirt while Roger too his place on the left.

"I call Mario," roger said and the black echidna walked over to stand behind him.

"Kay, I call Paco-man," Jordan said and Paco stepped behind him removing his shirt. From then on the dividing continued, placing Dragon, Jaxon, Matt, Antonio, and Shadow on Jordan's team and Jessie, David, Luis, Damien, and Alex on Roger's.

Kylee, carrying a huge umbrella, arrived in time to see the beginning of the game. Roger's team had the ball first and kicked off to Jordan's and from then on, it was hell. Jordan's team led by six points to one in the first thirty minutes, that one point was made possible when the ball was intercepted and Shadow was taken down early only because he kept watching Kylee.

Paco helped him up and wrapped a muscular arm around his neck. "What good are you if you don't pay attention man?" he laughed as they walked over to the huddle.

"Hey man ya gotta learn one thing out here," Dragon chimed in as they completed the circle, "the girls are distractions. It's always been like that and it's not gunna change."

"It's been that way since we were six," Antonio said tossing the ball. "Course back then they used to laugh and run through the field during a game."

"Anyways," Paco cited before a flash back could take place. "Shadow, we're gunna make you quarter back cause the guys are complaining that you're too damn fast. That alright with you?"

"Just as long as I get to play, its fine with me," he said and Antonio passed him the ball. Seconds after the game started up again and he hiked the ball he heard something about a blitz. He ignored it as he brought his arm back to throw. Without a moments notice he was hit head on by Damien and Luis. He groaned as he lay on the dirt blurry-eyed.

"You okay man?" Damien laughed as he and Luis got to their feet and helped him up.

"Yeah," he said shaking his head, "just a little whiplash."

"Damn!" said an orange fox girl sitting under the umbrella. "You sure yo man's gunna be safe out there? He looks kinda fragile."

"He'll be fine Monica," Kylee said crossing her legs. "After all he did fall from space."

"It's true," Ami declared. "There's pictures and everything." As of now she was laptop less and leaning against the huge radio.

"Then that means when you found him he was," a white cat girl said giggling at the thought.

"Oh will you guys grow up for a change," Angel hissed.

"So how big is he?" a red echidna girl asked jumping in Kylee's face.

"What do you mean Natasha!" Kylee stuttered blushing a bit.

"Well you guys are tighter," Monica stated. "And you do live in the same house ya know."

"Cool your jets you little perras," Ami said placing her dark shades over her eyes. "Our girl ain't like that, remember?"

"Yeah, rule número uno," the white cat giggled, "never on the first date but maybe on the second."

"You people make me sick," Angel, sighed resting on her hands. A roll of thunder sounded in the distance. Heavy black storm clouds floated over the distant buildings.

"Damn it!" the white cat cursed grabbing a hold of the stereo and rising to her feet. "I'll see ya chicas later."

"See ya Josephine," they all yelled after her as she ran off to her house.

Soon the clouds were overhead and the missile assault of heavy raindrops began quickly turning the field to mush. The game pushed on. Huge clumps of mud and grass were kicked up and every player on the field was soon filthy from the mud.

"Ugh, this is going to be a bad day for laundry," Natasha groaned as she watched the boys slam one another into the ground. "It's like they want to be that damn dirty."

"I know," agreed Angel folding her arms. "Guys are so gross sometimes." The whole lot of them nodded.

"LOOK OUT!" Paco cried as the ball went soaring in the girl's direction. Shadow leapt into the air and caught the ball but after this, he had no control of his destination. The girls screamed as he hit the ground and slid on his back towards them splattering them with mud.

He shrugged off the shock and looked up to find Kylee staring down at him. He smiled brightly but the other girls soon joined her. "Oh this can't be good," he groaned and scrambled to his feet with the ball still in his hands. "Uh, sorry ladies," he laughed scratching his ear. "Rough landing ya know." They kicked off their shoes and growled at him. "Oh shit!" He made a run for it but the mud slowed his escape to a normal pace. The guys laughed as he headed towards them with Kylee and the girls chasing after him. Natasha picked up a handful of mud and threw it at him. He ducked in time and the clomp of soggy dirt hit Paco dead on.

"Uh oh," she squeaked as the group stopped beside her. Paco whipped the mud off his face and looked at it on his hands.

"Get 'em," he murmured and every man and boy on the field charged at the girls as they retreated.

"No fair!" Kylee cried as she dodged one mud ball after the next.

Shadow dashed over and lifted her up into his arms. "Alls fair in love and war Ky," he said tossing her up and catching her. Antonio bumped into them as he tried to run from his sister and Natasha causing Shadow to lose his balance. They both laughed in sheer bliss as the mud war continued. The guys mostly looking like they sprang from the very ground itself the girls were quickly getting there.

Kylee straddled Shadow and smiled sweetly as he looked up at her. "You know what," she said moving soaked strands of hair out of her face.

"What?" he asked sitting up on his elbows.

"This is just how I found you," she giggled, "with one exception though."

"And what's that?"

She kissed him passionately then said, "You had less clothes."

* * *

I TOLD YOU IT WAS DIRTY! LMFAO! Okay I'm done with that now review review! I'm not doing this for my health…or am I?

To be continued…

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


	11. Reality Check

Chapter 11: Reality Check

Station Square 5a.m.

"Um sir I think you should look at this," a nervous man said to his superior as he stared at the computer screen before him. A man in a heavily decorated military uniform approached him and looked over his shoulder.

"What the?" he exclaimed as he gawked at the screen as the entire program disintegrated from the monitor. A funky looking sheet with pointy ears and a long tail ran across yelling boo. It ran forward and the screen turned black, as it seemed to engulf it with its mouth.

"You shouldn't mess with ghosts," the monitor read repeatedly in bloody letters.

"Quick, shut the system down," the man yelled to every person in the room.

"It's too late sir," the man in front of him said. "The entire system has been overridden. Look." He pointed up to the huge wall of TV screens at the head of the room. The ghost appeared on every one then the images fused together so that one huge ghost showed up on the screen followed by the red letters. This happened to every other computer screen in the room and across the entire facility.

Back at the workshop where the eight teens sat boredly going over data reports the ghost attacked.

"Hey!" Andy yelled smacking the monitor. "What the hells going on?"

"Dude, we're being hacked!" shouted Kevin as he hurried to shut down his computer manually.

"No, wait," Jamie said as she began to type away at the keyboard facing her. "Maybe I can stop him from getting in any deeper."

"No good," Jordan said with a grin on his fox face as he too began to tap at the keys before him.

"Then trace it!" she screamed at him as the words began to multiply faster and grow smaller.

"Can't, the trails being blocked off by something." He turned away and pulled out a small device from one of the pockets of his cargo pants. He drew out a wire from it and hooked it up to the computer rerouting the keyboard functions to it. "This guy knows what he's doing." He began to type furiously as a green screen appeared. "I'm in!"

"Bout time!" Mark said as the group gathered around him.

"I can't get a lock on him!" The screen showed what looked to be a cyber world that changed as if he were moving threw it. "Where is he going?"

"Dude, what the fuck is that!" Jake cried as he pointed to the ghost on the screen.

"It's him! Come on! We need to move faster." The ghost stuck its tongue out at him and split into three new ones. "Shit!"

"Jordan, where are you?" Tommy asked looking about the room as the other computer screens showed the same image as the one facing Jordan.

"I'm," he glanced at the data he passed, "in the reconnaissance data bank! What does he want in here?" The entire facility shut down causing every room to turn pitch black. "FUCK!" he growled slamming his fist on the desk the monitor sat on.

"Hey guys," a girl's voice rang into the receiver of a cell phone. "I need you to pick up some things…No, in the desert…Of course…Yes, it's important…Uh huh, see ya there." The phone clicked.

"Hey, Kylee!" Jaxon called as he and Damien entered the house. He walked through the living room and towards the stairs. "Kylee!"

"Hey man, isn't this like, breaking the law?" Damien asked as they headed up the stairs to Kylee's room.

"Not if you have a key." He grinned and knocked on the door that read "Danger Zone!" "Hello…Ky, are you in there?" He opened the door and flipped the switch.

"Hey Ky, you wake?" Damien asked as he slipped over to the burgundy canopy bed. There wasn't a soul in the bed. "Where is she?"

"Probably out shopping or somethin," Jaxon said shrugging. "Let's ask Shady if he knows where she went." They marched up the second set of stairs and the door that served as the entrance to Shadow's room. Jaxon knocked a few times then waited.

There was movement before the door cracked open. Shadow stood in a pair of jeans that were zipped half way and a pissed look on his face. "I'm fuckin tired so this better be good," he said all in Spanish, which amazed the echidna and otter.

"Whoa since," Jaxon whistled. "Since when can you speak the lingo?"

"What do you want?" he growled glaring at him.

"Cranky," the gray echidna mumbled. "We need to find Kylee. Do you know where she is?" Shadow pushed the door wider and stepped back. Damien and Jaxon looked at each other shrugging and looked inside. They were half surprised at what they saw, a fast asleep Kylee under white sheets.

"Damn!" Damien exclaimed. "No wonder you're so fuckin tired man."

"And why you can speak our language," the otter added as he gave Shadow an approving nod and thumbs up. "That must have been some lesson huh?" He just stared at him and started to close the door. Jaxon stuck his foot in the way and said, "Whoa, hey man we're sorry okay? We just need to talk to Ky, it's important."

Shadow snarled, let go of the door and made his way to the side of the bed Kylee laid on. He kneeled next to her and woke her saying some words in a language Damien and Jaxon could not understand.

"What the hell is he saying?" Jaxon whispered to his friend who shrugged in response.

Kylee murmured back to him in the same language as she rolled on to her stomach. Shadow rose to his feet and came up to the two of them.

"She'll be down in a minuet," he said and closed the door.

"Rude," Jaxon snapped. Damien just looked at him and laughed as they strolled to the living room.

Ten minuets later Kylee and Shadow came into the living and took a seat on the big couch. Kylee wore a pair of girl's under roes and Shadow's white button shirt that was a bit big for her. Jaxon lay sprawled across the recliner like a cat and Damien sat on the love seat with a cup of water.

"This better be good, Tweak," she yawned sitting between Shadow's legs as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"It is," he said setting his cup by a lamp that was on a small table to his right. "Gigit, go get the thing."

"Why do I have to get it?" he complained closing his eyes.

"Cause _I_ said so," Kylee hissed. "Now go!"

Jaxon groaned getting to his feet and headed for Damien's jeep that set in the driveway. "Fuckin slave driver," he said under his breath. "Get the thing," he mocked in a tone more like Damien's. "I'll get the fuckin thing alright." He disappeared into the sunlight then reappeared with a metal sphere in his hands. It had a camera lens on the face of it and an antenna sticking out the top. "Here," he snapped tossing the object at Damien.

He caught it and growled at him as he laid back on the recliner. Kylee and Shadow both raised a brow as he held it out to them turning it about so they could see the entire surface.

"What is it?" she asked taking hold of it herself. It was quite heavy and the size of a basketball.

"It's a recon probe," he said plainly, as he sipped at his water.

"So what's the big deal?" Shadow asked taking a hold of it himself and turning it about.

"Look at the name stamped by the lens." He and Kylee squinted at the area the lens was and saw the initials "G.U.N." Shadow's eye twitched and he looked up at Damien. "There are three more in my jeep," he stated taking the probe back. "Spooky found them combing the desert a few miles outside the city; took us a while to get them all."

"But what are they doing around here?" Kylee asked as a concerned look developed on her face. "This is a long ass way from Station Square."

"Spooky guesses they're lookin' for him," Jaxon chimed in as he pointed blindly to Shadow. "She says they might think he survived his free fall so they're scouting every possible location of where he might be."

"Oh no!" Kylee cried holding her hands to her mouth. "If they find this place who knows what could happen."

"They're lookin' for me not you guys," Shadow stated squeezing Kylee's waist.

"Hey man, you don't get it," the echidna said placing the probe on the floor, "if they find the city all hell will break loose. Almost a third of the shit that built this place was stolen and the city is crawlin' with ex-crooks."

"No, you don't get it! I know how G.U.N. operates. If they find out I'm here they'll kill all of you and as many people as necessary to make sure that no one knows anything. That's far worse than being arrested and sent to prison." Kylee looked up at him but he didn't acknowledge it as he stared at Damien.

"Lucky for us Spooky is setting up the net," Jaxon announced getting to his feet and for the first time with a serious look on his face.

"What net?" Shadow asked looking to him.

"It's a jammer system that sends out a signal up to a ten mile radius around the city," Kylee told him as she rose to her feet. "It scrambles any computer that comes in contact with it. The only flaw is that it doesn't have a satellite to cover the air."

"That's not a problem anymore," Damien mentioned scratching his ear. "Once Spooky finishes setting up the net she's gunna contact a few friends and hack every satellite that starts to hover over us."

"How can you be sure that all this'll work?" Shadow asked cold-heartedly as he stood up staring at the carpeted floor.

"Shadow, it's going to work cause it worked before and until Jose gets back we don't do anything else," Kylee said with a hint of worry in her voice. He huffed and walked out of the room and to the backyard. Kylee went to follow him but Jaxon stopped him with a troubled look on his face.

"Let him go Ky," he said in a warm voice. "He needs some time to think about all this. Hell, I'm not sure if it'll work either."

"Spooky says there was a hacker on the inside trying to track her down while she deleted recon files," Damien stated picking up the probe in one hand. "All we need is enough time to figure out what to do next. Hopefully by then ya brutha'll be back."

"And what if Shadow's right and it all blows up in our faces? What then?" she asked almost in tears. "I have a family to think about. We all do. My little brothers mean the world to me and I promised my mutha I'd look out for them."

"We promise nuthin'll happen to them Ky," Jaxon said hugging her as she started to tremble.

"Then what are we gunna do when they get through the valley?"

Jaxon looked up at Damien who had a hard look on his face. "We'll run," he answered. "It's all we can do against an army." Enrique and Marcus wondered into the living room yawning and rubbing their eyes.

"What's goin' on?" Enrique asked still a bit sleepy. Kylee ran over to her brothers and hugged them both tightly crying with her head low.

"What's wrong," Marcus yawned. "Why you cryin' Ky?" They looked up at the older two's faces.

"I swear I'll never let anyone hurt you," she sobbed kissing them both.

"I don't get it," Enrique declared looking between Damien and Jaxon's face. "What happened?"

Jaxon looked to the floor snarling and left for the backyard leaving everyone stunned by this. He marched up to the picnic table Shadow sat on facing the Shadow Gates and wrenched him around by his shoulder. He pulled back his arm and punched him off the table.

Shadow growled shaking off the punch and jumped to his feet pulling Jaxon up to him by his black shirt. "WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!" he howled tightening his grip on the shirt.

"YOU ARE!" he barked pushing him away.

"What!" Shadow's eyes almost softened with confusion.

"You heard me!" he brushed him off his shirt. "Ky is in there fuckin' cryin' because of you my friend."

Shadow's heart skipped a beat at these words. "Why?"

"Cause you're actin' just like her old man! She knows it. I know it. Everyone fucking knows it and the last thing we need is you goin' out and doin' somethin that'll get you killed just to protect her. She doesn't need that man! She doesn't need one more person she loves walkin outta her life just like her mom and dad!"

Shadow turned away and said, "I don't know what the fuck you're talkin about."

"Listen man," Jaxon snarled pulling him around to look at his face. "I may be crazy but I am not fuckin stupid! I know what ya fuckin thinkin' about doin."

"Is that so," he snapped walking closer to the fence.

"She won't let you go. Now matter how much you think it's goin' to save her and everyone else here she wont let you go. With each friend and family member that up and leaves or dies a piece of her heart gets ripped out."

"She'll forget about me," he said looking at the grass.

"You don't get it!" he yelled shutting his eyes as tears started to swell in them. "She hasn't been this happy in years. If you go, it'll kill her. None of us can stand to see her that way again. How would you feel if someone you cared about dropped out of your life day after day, week after fuckin week? Bet you don't know a damn thing about that do you?"

"You know nothing of my past," he argued clinching his fist. "I lost my very first love, a man that was like a father to me and twenty close friends in a single night, so don't you tell me I don't know what it's like!" he yelled glaring at him. His eyes were a blaze with the horrific memory of the massacre on ARK.

"Shadow," Kylee sniffed as she held her hands over her mouth again. Tears streamed down her face and the expression she wore cut straight through his heart like a knife. Enrique and Marcus were behind their sister's legs and looking out at him from the doorway.

"Hey guys," Dragon said cheerily as he pushed open the gate to the yard. "What's goin… on?" He looked at the faces of his friends. "Uh, is somethin wrong?"

"Call up every friend you've got with a comp or a car," Damien said stepping out into the yard.

"Why?" he asked adjusting the backpack on his shoulder.

"We got work to do." He tossed the probe to him and he caught it stepping back a bit.

"What the hell is this!" he stammered looking over its physical properties.

Less than two hours later a caravan of cars and trucks sat outside an old brick house at the very end of the street Kylee lived on. Among the cars was a cop car and a dump truck. The owners were all gathered in the back fence of the house. They were all taking over the possibilities of why they were called together. Ami bounded out of her house followed by the gang, previously at Kylee's house with the exception of Enrique and Marcus, Angel and her brother, and Paco.

"It's much appreciated that all you guys made it here," she yelled over the crowd while walking over to stand on a picnic table. "We have a very big problem and we need as much help as we can get. The Overlander military is currently searching the area for our speedy little friend here." She motioned towards Shadow who had his arms wrapped around Kylee. "We all know the problem with outsiders like the army and any other big groups is. I think that with your help we can hold them off outside the valley long enough to come up with a plan."

"So what do we have to do?" the officer asked removing his hat.

"I'm gettin' there so hold ya horses!" she snapped. "What we need to do is set the net back up. It's the only chance we've got of holding 'em off. Now all the stuff for it is locked away in the old warehouse on 8th street. We need Renaldo and Officer Derrick to get all of that out before anyone knows it's gone and bring it to Quake. There everyone will grab a piece of equipment and set up at the spots designated on the outskirts of the city. Me and a few friends of mine will tell all yall how to put the shit together."

"So when do you want us to move out?" a gray wolf asked from the back.

Ami looked to Damien and the others then back to the crowd, "Tonight! Jose isn't here to baby-sit us. We're on our own." She jumped down and went to stand with the group. "I hope this works or else we're sunk."

"We all do," Angel said looking to Kylee and Shadow then Ami again. "Derrick and Renaldo can't pull off the snatch on their own though."

"What do ya mean?" Antonio said watching the crowd disperses.

"How funny is it gunna look for a bunch of cops on patrol to see a bunch of dump trucks rollin' out of town in the middle of the night?" his sister asked.

"I'm on it," Damien announced and he walked to stand on the table. He whistled and everyone heading for his or her car came back. "Can I have you're attention please." He waited for everyone to settle into a place. "When Renaldo and the trucks move out we need some hands to keep the cops busy. I want every street racer in town to be on those streets at eight. We have to keep those guys away from the trucks until everything is finished. No room for mistakes. If they start followin' one, I want you to stop 'em. Block off the whole damn street if you have to. They can't know anything cause they won't understand the situation." He glanced at Antonio who nodded and he faced the group again. "Antonio and I will sneak into the court house and grab the keys."

"What!" Angel shrieked. "No way in hell my little brother is goin' to risk his neck."

"It's the only way," Antonio argued shaking his head.

"No it's not! Get someone else to fuckin' do it!" she yelled folding her arms.

"If I can't go then who is?"

"I am," Shadow spoke up staring at Damien. "I'm the only one here fast enough to get in and get out without getting caught. Just give me what I need to get the keys." Jaxon looked at him then Kylee who was paying very much attention to what was being said.

"Okay then," Damien said clapping his hands together. "We have speed demons, a crooked cop, and kleptomaniacs for trash men. Sounds like a gangsta movie to me. Let's move out and the chase begins at eight and don't you forget it."

The mass dispersed and the group of teens sat out in the yard exasperated. From no where came Ami's laptop as she sat down on the picnic table and typed away furiously. She called Angel, Damien, and Kylee over. Shadow stood against a fence watching Kylee when Jaxon came to stand next to him. He too let his gaze rest on Kylee, his eyes out of his norm, stern and almost on fire.

Shadow looked to him puzzled but the otter did not turn to him. "If you break her heart," he began hands balling into fists, "I will kill you." The black hedgehog narrowed piercing reds at the blonde and turned back to Kylee.

* * *

WOW! Such problems! I almost feel sorry for these people and JAXON IS CRAZY! But then again I'm writing this out so I'm not sorry **(evil laugh) gawd I love my work. REVIEW!**


	12. Burnin Day Light

Everything Happens for a reason and succession is nine tenths of reality's circle…that came from no where!

* * *

Chapter 12: Burnin' Daylight

Xander City 7:35 pm outside Toni's Pizza

"This is gunna be great," Enrique exclaimed running about the inside of the restaurant.

"Yeah," agreed Marcus as he crawled out from under a booth. "All that crying freaked me out though." Enrique sat down in a window by his brother.

"I thought we were bout to be in the middle of a soap opera or somethin'." He tapped on the pane and a brown rabbit girl walked through the door and stood next to them.

"Whatcha need lil chicos?" she asked in a cheery voice.

"Something to do!" Enrique screamed.

"Yeah," Marcus chimed. "We're so bored. Why can't we help out like all the other big kids?"

"Cause all those big kids have cars," she stated smiling to them.

"We have a car!" Enrique said. "Our dad gave it to us before he went away."

"Yeah but you can't drive it." She moved towards the kitchen. "Come on you two. I'll give you something to do for a while."

"Like what?" they asked in unison.

"We'll make a pizza."

"YEAH!" They hopped down from the sill and raced behind the counter; the rest of the dinner was filled with many other children who ate away at a variety of things, waiting for the cue.

Half way across town the black hedgehog, red fox, and gray echidna sat behind a few bushes looking out at the Court House. Shadow seemed to be the only really concentrating on the mission while his company watched him replaying the morning's events over in their minds. They knew what wanted to be said between them but it was just too sensitive to speak of.

"Well, this is fun," Antonio sighed tugging at the backpack slung over his shoulder. "How much time's left?" he asked Damien who looked at his wristwatch and grimaced.

"Another twenty minuets," he growled. "Why the hell did we come early again?"

"It was Ami's idea and you know what Ami says goes." The young fox glanced at Shadow who seemed lifeless. "I don't see why we let her push us around. I mean I'm a man. I don't have to take shit from no one."

"Is that why you still let Angel do your hair?" the echidna snickered.

"Hey man, I only trust her with my hair and you know that." He brushed a hand over his corn rolls.

"Yeah, whateva!" Damien leaned back on his left arm and looked at his watch again making that face once more. "We need to stop listening to Ami. She always gets so hyped up when it comes to _Sticking to the plan_. I swear it's like someone shoved a stick up her ass man." After that they sat in silence for a long while until the echidna's watch went off and the began to approach the Court House. Damien glanced at Shadow who seemed so intent on doing what they came to do even though his thoughts did wander.

"They were together weren't they?" the hedgehog suddenly asked as they slipped around to the back door.

"What?" Damien asked taken back a bit.

"Jaxon and Kylee," he sighed. "They were…you know?"

"Uh…" The echidna thought long about it. "Are you sure you want to hear this?" Shadow stared at him unblinkingly and he took that as a yes. "Well they were…close."

"More like inseparable!" Antonio blurted having dropped in on the conversation. Damien gave him a deathly stare and he threw up his hands. "WHAT! It's the truth and you know it. It was like they were made for each other or somethin'."

"But that was back when they were kids. Who knows how fast they would have grown apart if they'd still been together till now."

The fox shook his head. "No, our moms' said that what they had was rare," he protested. "The only way they would have grown apart is if one of them died." The echidna took notice to the suddenly cold look the hedgehog wore and took Antonio into a headlock. "AH! LEGGO MAN!"

"You just love runnin' ya mouth don't you?" Damien growled grinding his fist into that well done head of hair. "I swear sometimes you just run at the mouth like no body's business."

"It's okay," Shadow said still quite frigid in his manor now. "Let him go and keep talkin'."

Damien growled once more at Antonio then let him go. He stood to the side trying to fix his hair as the older males continued with the topic. "If it isn't already obvious they did break up which couldn't have happened at a worse time. Now this is where I have to go a bit of the subject cause Gigit is a pretty twisted kid; mentally mainly. We always knew he was a bit…unstable but no one really cared that much cause in a sense I guess we're all crazy. He never talked much about how he got the way he was I think only to Ky but she's not tellin' anyone. All we know is it had to do with his pop's and that's about it. Well, back when they were going out his dad didn't like the thought of them going out but he wasn't around for long cause he disappeared. Gigit was protective of Ky, like extremely and did practically anything for her even if she didn't want him to. He missed a week a school just to stay by her side and make sure she got over it okay. It was…sweet."

"It made me sick," Antonio, said grimacing as he dug through his bag for three headsets.

"NO BODY ASKED YOU STUPID HEAD!" Damien barked then regained his composure. "So anyway they had a good life together with Gigit slowly loosing more of his mind. I don't know why but seeing her cry just drove him off the deep end and all he wanted to do was make things right no matter what the cost…then it happened. Her mom was killed. It was like being in a horror film. Ky locked herself in her room and garage for days on end. She wouldn't even talk to Gigit. He couldn't stand being away from her and then one day he snapped. He stole a gun from one of the stores just around the corner from where he lived and went out to kill the bastards that brought his girl's whole world crashing down in just seconds. He found him but he didn't get around to finishing what he started. We found him in time and Kylee calmed him down. He was shaking, hell, we were all shaking. It was just so scaring watchin' all this happen and feeling so…helpless. He got sent away to an asylum for a few months and checked out legally sane, but we still doubt that. She didn't want to be with anyone so that broke his heart. They agreed ta always be there for each other if no one else will." He sighed running a hand through his hair as he looked up at Shadow for the first time in a while. He appearance did soften some but not by much. In so many ways, he was hurt. Her heart would never fully belong to him as his did to her; it was like chasing something that was too fast for you.

Damien touched his shoulder handing him the headset. "Come on man, its almost time." He slipped the head set on thinking of how his dear Kyleena reminded him of Maria.

Near across town there sat a moving truck just sitting through the sixth cycle of a traffic light. The blaring lights of eight police cars surrounded it, sixteen officers held arm as they stared down the occupants. A grey cat's right eye twitched as she stared forward gripping her knees in frustration and growled, "There is a reason why we have a plan."

"I know," responded the hedgehog in a dull tone.

"Then why are we here surrounded by pigs and five minuets early?" Her eye twitched again. "Can ya tell me that Ky or do I have to jump down your throat for answers?"

"Hey," the red fox between them screamed holding up her hands. "Just chill Ami. She probably has a good reason for this." _Hopefully. _She sighed and turned to her best friend. "Huh Ky?" She looked to them and smirked something that would rival Shadow's sadistic grin.

She pushed a button on the side of her headset and spoke quite sweetly, "Shads baby, do you have the keys?"

"Yeah," his response rang through the link to every com. "On my way."

"You heard the Gigit?" Ky asked awaiting a response. A howl rang through and there was cheering coming from the background. "Alright then start us off!" She and the two other women moved to the back of the truck disappearing into darkness.

"Ladies and gents of our twisted central!" the otter yelled over the com link and Quake. "Are you ready!" He got several screams in response. "Let's set these streets on fire cause it is gettin' sick!" An intense beat played across the headsets of over a hundred people. The back doors of the moving truck burst open as two motorcycles, one carrying two people, flashed into view flying over two cop cars and landing on the pavement to speed away from them. The trio sped down the streets as if it was nothing weaving in and out of cars as they avoided the police.

"Dusty!" Kylee called out to her friend. "Get Smokey to the diner, I'll try and wave off some of the heat.

"Gotcha!" she nodded and careened left down an alley leaving all eight cars to chase after Kylee. The hedgehog only smirked, hit a ramp off the back of a tow truck, and landed on top of a bus off it onto the street. She jerked her bike to the right and lost three fourths of the squad in the mess left behind.

"Green, green, green!" she called into her headset. "I need help getting these ass holes off my tail!"

"I gotcha Vicious!" a masculine voice responded and a black motorcycle followed by a black and blue car flashed into view. She hanged a left beside the new biker causing the two police pursuing her to crash into the one cop following said biker. The mess brought a grin to her face.

Shadow zoomed down a dirt road turning up dirt devils each time his feet pounded the ground. He slid next to the tall cat that was Paco and gazed at the several dump trucks, its drivers, and hands before passing him the keys. The door itself was quite heavy as it took both men to pull just one aside. The contents of the warehouse were quite large and covered in layers of dust.

"It's like this stuff hasn't been used for years," Paco awed as he scanned the boxes. "Hey Shady, find anything yet?" He turned to where the hedgehog was popping in and out of view then suddenly stopped.

"Found them!" he called out to the others and soon they gathered around ready to move them out. In the process of moving each set of two to a truck, he counted them, eye twitching with the result. "Ami we have a problem."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE A PROBLEM!" she shrieked cause everyone to grab their ears and groan in pain.

"We have an extra set."

"What?" she growled. "Gah! Never mind it. I'll send over an extra truck and figure out where the hell it's supposed to go just get the rest of the shit where it needs to go." She fell silent and in about ten minuets, three transports were already to go.

"Shady!" Paco called out to him and in not even seconds, he was by his side carrying a rather large box in his hands. The cat blinked then laughed. "Put that down and take these three out." He nodded, placed the box in one dump truck and ran along side the small caravan over the dirt road to the edge of the city. Instantly both flanks were covered by a group of bikers and one full-size truck carrying the wolf twins Jordan and Roger who howled to acknowledge their presence as the back of the truck opened up and they rolled off the back on their four wheelers.

"YO SHADOW!" rang out Antonio's voice. The black blur rushed by his side and waved.

"Shady do us a fav and coveh the rear!" said a woman's voice that didn't sound familiar but he obeyed and hopped onto the back of the last truck and held on, the passing wind blowing around his clothes. It didn't take much time for two cop cars to pull up along side of them, blue and red lights flashing, sirens blaring. "Damn it!" the woman cried. "Ant!"

"I got it!" the fox laughed and pulled a bat from off his back and rolled up to on car and smashed the back seat window in and sped off howling like a mad man.

"I've got the other one," Shadow announced and ran to the head of the line waiting for the right moment to jump on the hood of the car. "Jordan, Roger, get the rear!" He leapt down and buried his shoes and hands into the hood of the car glaring at the officer as he tried desperately to control the car. Shadow smirked bring his foot around and smashed in the window taking hold of the wheel and pulling it to the driver's right down a busy street.

"GO SHADY GO!" his caravan cheered as they saw him disappear. He felt such a rush from the encouragement that he felt more than bold. He turned around and sighed, "Oh shit," and leapt from the car as it crashed into a brick wall. Shadow landed on his feet smirking and whipping off his hands. "That was close." After this point, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Turing to stomp down the road, a blue blur caught his eye. It didn't stop, it just flew past him and he froze knowing the danger of this to the plan. He remembered what Kylee had called out and did the same. "Green, green, green. I got a problem here."

"NO MORE PROBLEMS!" Ami shrieked. "I JUST FINISHED THE LAST ONE!"

"Chill Ami, this one I can handle. I just need a helmet."

"I gotcha Shadow!" said Kylee bring a smile to his face. She was out of her dreary mood from earlier. "Street."

He turned around several times watching as the blur stopped by an orange fox and a pink hedgehog. Catching sight of a street sign he called out, "Gillian Boulevard." A minuet couldn't even pass when a black hedgehog's helmet was flung at him and girl motorcyclist stopped by him on a green bike with an angel painted on it and "Kat's Little Angel" in silver. He shoved the head covering on and eyed the paint job. A shiver ran up his back but then he turned to approach the blue hedgehog walking up the street. Kylee glanced at him and revved the engine before speeding off in the same direction. "Distraction!" she called out almost giggling and flew by Shadow's target and smacked him on the back of the head.

"What the hell!" he cried out rubbing the back of his head.

"Sonic are you okay?" the pink hedgehog screamed rushing to his side.

"I'm fine Amy but that guy won't be." He turned to run after Kylee but Shadow stood in his way and knocked him back. "FUCK IT!" he growled. "What the hell do you want?"

"Don't touch my girl," he growled trying to mask his voice and shoved him. Sonic could only see himself growing with anger in the visor of the motorcycle helmet.

"I don't have time for this BS," he snapped and tried to push past him only to be shoved back again. Shadow was enjoying this a bit. "Hey pal, unless you want somethin' get the hell outta my way!"

"Actually I do." He smirked and snatched he orange tinted sunglasses from atop the blue one's head. "These would so look better on me." He pocketed them and turned to walk away. "Thanks for the shades." Before Sonic could reach out for him, Shadow dashed down the street making sure he was following which he did. He'd lead him around town until he was exhausted if he had to.

"Ami the second group is heading towards the diner," Paco called into his headset. He was sitting behind the wheel of a black hummer taking up the rear of a four dump truck caravan.

The twins were sitting in the window staring out at a cop and turned to the grey cat shaking their heads. "Take it slow for a second," she replied. "We have two cops right outside. I'll give the all clear in a bit."

"Now!" the two red hedgehogs asked in unison. The cat nodded and Enrique pushed his brother out the door. Marcus had a mischievous look as he approach the police officers as they exited their car. He forced out fake tears and pouted sniffling at nothing. As he stepped closer he heard on speak of the many chases going on. The first officer turned and nearly knocked over the tiny hedgehog who fell over any way and began to wail.

"Whoa little guy," the first said and kneeled in front of him. "You okay?" He shook his head furiously as he rubbed at his eyes. "Where's your mom." He shrugged his shoulders. The officer frowned and got to his feet to talk to his partner. "We a got lost kid on our hands."

"I'll send in a report," the second officer said then jumped seeing Marcus' twin standing beside him crying. "Whoa! Where'd this one com from?" He picked up the new on dressed in blue and held him up. Each time they turned to try to call in a report more and more children appeared crying like to tomorrow. Moreover, as the caravan rolled by, the cops were too occupied with toddlers to notice anything suspicious say for the dozen or so kids before them.

"Whose kids are out there again?" Paco laughed.

"Ya mama's now shut up and keep going," Ami snapped, her furious heard in the background. "Shadow!"

"Busy!" he growled as he knocked Sonic into a brick wall. They had run into this alley not too long ago trying to keep from the streets.

"What!" Her eye almost twitched as she glared at the empty diner then down at the computer screen.

"I mean…AH!" He now lay on his back growling.

"What the hell are you doing!"

"Nuthin'! So what's the problem?"

"I need you to go to the center of the city and check the roof top of the highest building now!" She heard growling then what should have been a yes.

"I'm on my way!"

"Kylee where are you?" Ami asked pulling up more files.

"Escorting down 5th why?" she inquired looking behind to the many trucks that followed.

"You, Dusty and Tweak go clear out the streets around the Mason building. After that, take the last truck there. Don't forget this cause I know you suck at math, eight to Quake and one to Mason. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah I can fuckin' count." She fell back and signaled for a purple car to take the lead as she soon met up with her two friends and made was towards Shadows general direction. "Hey Dragon I know you're out there," she called gazing up.

"So what if I'm stalking you?" he chuckled popping in and out of her view. "I've got every right to follow after all I'm only helping."

"Look ahead for us for trouble okay?" Angel asked riding between Kylee and Damien.

"Gotcha!" He flew out overhead and waved as he bounded from rooftop to rooftop gaining momentum.

"Ami, Ami!" came somewhat of a childish voice then a laugh.

"They ready?" she asked.

"Two are already set up. We're working on the third right now." He grunted a bit as he helped push a heavy shaft into position. "Okay three up."

"Move on to the next spot, the next four trucks should be there in a little bit." She looked behind her out a long window and caught sight of the last truck moving out followed by a squad of cop cars. "WHAT THE FUCK!" she shrieked and everyone groaned in response to the shrill noise.

"What the hell was that for!" Damien cried.

"One of the last trucks is being tailed by the whole fuckin' police force! Someone get on it now!"

"Chill Ami it's just me and my unit," said Officer Derrick. Ami sighed just about ready to have a heart attack. "Want us to follow Ky and the other two."

"Yeah but try and give them some kind of notice," she murmured. "Like, flash your lights or something." Ami slammed her head on a counter and heard echoed "Ouch" and "Are you alright?" from most of the crew. "GET TA WORK!"

"ARGH!" everyone groaned and ceased speaking to her for fear of an ear ach. As a mad man mixed the hypnotic beats, time seemed a blur. There seemed no stopping any of them, these children of long abandoned youth. Speed was their master and they could only obey for daylight was the enemy. One after the other the obelisks of modern technology went up. Hopes held by a string on whether or not this plan would fall through. The most worried being Shadow as he stood over looking the quieting city, the wind from the high altitude of Mason Tower blew at his quills. As of late, he allowed a bit of his bangs to grow out but not much. Those piercing ruby eyes could see everything from his perch, the woods, Kylee's, the outskirts where Quake lay. He wanted nothing more than to protect this place. His new home even if it meant leaving but there was something keeping him from running away and never looking back. Soft hands curled around his right arm and tugged him back from the edge.

"You'll fall if you stand that close," came a soothing voice. Shadow turned to gaze into eerie sliver eyes that sent a chill up his spine; something so familiar in them. Kylee smiled and kissed his cheek pulling him back more. "I don't want to lose you." He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. Behind them, a group of officers was helping Angel, Dragon, and Damien set up the remaining transmitter.

"Let's stay here tonight," he murmured nuzzling against her neck.

"Why?" she asked in a giggle, looking into his eyes.

"So we can see the sun rise." His eyes flashed from the passing cars below and he made a very genuine smile. "It'll be a first for me anyways." She kissed his lips and he held her there for sometime before letting her go and sat down facing east. The little red hedgehog curled up next to him resting her head on his shoulder.

"We're gunna be here a long time ya know," she giggled thinking it best to bring up that little detail.

"I know but as long as I'm with you it doesn't matter," he purred into her ear, pulled her into his lap, and held her there. For what seemed like days, they sat and waited long after the others had left them to be alone. It was quite say for the occasional car and bird but they didn't care. It was a moment that someone would over look in a heartbeat but live on with them; the mixture of orange and red as the sun peaked up from the horizon. It was nothing short of beautiful.

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REVIEW! REVIEW! PLEAESE! 


	13. Home Coming: Part One

Miscreants addicted to this story! ARE YOU READY TO ROCK? Well look else where, this is a Latino fic filled with rave music and a variety of other things. We are approaching the final chapters. This particular one was so flippin long I had to break it up. Introducing inter city conflict, relationship problems and among other things…well I really can't say. Just read!

Blah blah blah, don't own Shadow and any archie-sega chars, yada yada.

* * *

Chapter 13: Home coming Part 1 

Shadow clutched something soft in his arms, most of his muscles sore from the hell of the night before and…other activities. He was nothing short of exhausted even after the sleep he had gotten. His mind hung only on thoughts of the creature that stirred in his grip, someone he would never let go. She had everything he wanted in a girl and a heart that was too forgiving for her own good. This girl in a sense was trouble too. She fought for her family and made her own enemies but her company was a bigger worry. The center woman of a gang, you would have to be either insane or stupid to get involved with her. He smirked.

"Shadow…" murmured the red hedgehog lying in his arms. Silver eyes fluttered open to meet half-lidded rubies. Kylee smiled and it was returned then she closed her eyes and, if possible, snuggled closer to Shadow. "How long have you been awake?"

"A while," he whispered, his baritone voice seemed to lull her into a deeper calm. "We should get up. It's past noon."

"I don't want to." She pulled a sheet over her head and Shadow laughed. There came a rather demanding knock at the door and Kylee growled. "GO AWAY!"

"Come on Ky wake up," came that deep voice of Paco's. "You too Shadow! I know ya in there!" He banged on the door once more. "I've got work for both of you so wake up."

"NO!" Kylee whined and Shadow smirked.

"We'll be out in ten," he yelled out to Paco receiving quite a glare from his mate.

"Traitor!" she hissed and without even bothering to cover herself slipped out from under burgundy sheets and made to her bathroom slamming the door but not locking it. Shadow licked his lips at the show he was given and did not hesitate to follow her. He was amazed at how much of a pervert he had become but now did not care.

After an hour of waiting, the panther was quite agitated. Paco made towards Kylee's room and was about to kick the door down when Shadow opened it fully dressed in black jeans with red stitching and a white shirt with "Curiosity" written in black. If it were not for the fact that Kylee was on his back you would see a picture of a cartoon cat with its eyes crossed out. The red hedgehog adorned blue, low-rise jeans and a black T-shirt.

Shadow gazed up into piercing yellow eyes and grinned from ear to ear. "Hi!" he said and Kylee giggled kicking her legs. His hands were placed under her ass holding her up and the black hedgehog just could not resist giving her a squeeze. "Um sorry it took us so long." A deep growl resonated from Paco and Shadow's ears flattened on his head as well as Kylee's.

"Come on," he growled and made towards the garage, an aura that almost suffocated anyone trailing behind him. The two hedgehogs followed continually flirting with each other, which angered the big cat even further.

"Oh lighten up Paco!" Kylee huffed sliding off Shadow's back. She turned to her brother's friend and was met with a sadistic grin that made her jump. "Why are you smiling like that?" All quills were on end.

Paco handed her an envelope. "José has something he wants you to do tomorrow."

"This better not take long cause the block party is tomorrow!" she huffed folding her arms.

"As for you," the cat said rounding on Shadow. He picked up a toolbox and pushed it into his hands. "You're doing grunt work for the party." He grinned that evil grin again and dragged a hedgehog that looked back at his mate, who was waving sheepishly to him. Outside the garage, things were already in motion for the next day's festivities. Benches and picnic tables were being lined up in the middle of the street; some were even made on the spot. Shadow was placed on tarp duty with the wolf twins, Jordan and Roger, and Jaxon. High tension was an understatement. Through two hours worth of work, the otter never once made eye contact with the hedgehog. The twins seemed on edge working with two men that, if given the opportunity, would probably beat the life out of each other. When the fourth tarp was finished and tested Jordan and Roger found it wise to take a break leaving Jaxon and Shadow in a very awkward position at a picnic table sitting across from each other.

That brown otter looked up a good twenty times and glanced about like a crack head. "Damn it," he groaned and received a very curious look from Shadow.

"What's the matter?" Shadow asked with a grin on his face. "Forget to take your medication?"

Jaxon's soft blue eyes snapped up at ruby reds and glared into them. "You know for a weapon you sure do talk a lot of bull shit."

"Psycho!"

"Yeah, I am. What's your point science fair reject?" The two growled at each other just as the wolf twins decided to return. Seeing this scene, they did a retreat to a different table far away from them. Jaxon was the first to back down as he crossed his arms. "I'm tryin' to apologize but you're makin' it real hard," he sighed.

"Apologize for what?" the hedgehog asked looking off. "Hitting me or just being a jackass?"

"No, for shootin' my mouth off like I did yesterday." Jaxon looked down scratching behind his ear. "I shouldn't have assumed that you hadn't lost anyone too. It's just that she's so happy now, ya know?" Shadow's eyes softened as his ears laid flat on his head. He felt like such a heel now hearing this from someone who had to let Kylee go. "You make her smile the way I used to. I hate to admit it, but I'm jealous and pissed off a little too."

The black hedgehog looked up at the otter and asked, "Of what?"

Jaxon shook his head laughing a bit. "You hold her heart in your hands man. The same heart I guarded like a precious jewel." The blonde otter looked at Kylee's house. "Anything you say or do could either make her life brighter or bring it crashing down. So when I knew you were planning on leaving I had to say something to change your mind. I didn't want to see the tears that followed after her parents left and the day I got taken away."

"She was there when they took you off to a psych-ward?" That otter held somewhat of a disturbing grin on his face that sent a chill down Shadow's spine. He really is insane.

"I figured that by now you'd know everything but I guess some people still up hold a woman's dignity. Remind me to kill Tweak later." He stretched his arms a bit and yawned. "Yeah, she didn't take it too well the day I was sent away. I went quietly but Ky was a different story. I'll never forget how she cried and the way she looked at me like I was a criminal but I knew I had to go. Believe me when you try to kill someone at thirteen you need help. Now don't get me wrong. I've killed before and I'll do it again if I have to." They eyed each other.

"You are a strange one," Shadow said finally with a smirk to rival Jaxon's.

"Since we're stating the obvious here, you're old." The black hedgehog laughed nodding. "Shame on you dating someone young enough to be your granddaughter. Cradle robber."

"Whatever nutcase."

"I think you're crazier than me and that's saying a lot. I mean who wakes up from a fifty-year long nap and decides to destroy the world? A psycho that's who."

Shadow sat back and stared Jaxon down as he tossed this back and forth in his mind. He grinned. "You're right." The two laughed and this caught the ear of a particular red hedgehog standing on her friend's porch.

She turned to the interesting scene of her ex and her new love talking and smiled a bit. Kylee looked to Angel who was smiling as well and turned calling out, "Damien, get out here quick!" The grey echidna climbed out a window and leaned on the railing of the porch. Kylee pointed to the picnic table and Damien's jaw dropped.

"Angel, get my shotgun," he said rolling up his torn sleeves. "It's time to put Gigit down."

"Stop being such an idiot," the red fox snapped. "Them talking like this is a good thing. It means they've made amends."

"Yes but in a week or so they'll be at each other's throats!" He held his hands up to his neck and made gagging noises.

"You're just mad you couldn't talk like this with any of Angel's exs," Kylee said sticking out her tongue. Angel giggled nodding.

"Ha! That would have been easy to do if none of them were jerk offs." The little hell fox smacked her boyfriend on the back of the head. "Hey, it's true. That's why you're stuck with me now." He grinned teasingly and watched the two who were supposed to be rivals for the same heart. The three sat silent for a while until Damien decided to speak. "You know what would be great," he whispered, "if we could hear what they were talking about."

"They're probably talking about that little birthmark under Ky's you-know-what," Angel giggled.

"Shut up!" Kylee screamed.

"Oh, you mean the same one from the baby pictures," the echidna rang in. "The one right under her left,"

"SHUT UP!"

"They probably saw the one of the back of her right thigh," the little red fox said with a smirk on her face. Kylee slammed her head on the railing.

"But the only way you would even notice that one is if…Oh!" A devious grin curled on Damien's lips. "You limber little hedgy you!"

"I hate you both," she growled and stomped away.

"I thought only cats and foxes could bend like that!" he yelled after her and he received a bit of finger fury.

Jaxon and Shadow were shoed back to work by a not too happy panther yet they continued to talk. "So," the otter began, "did you find her birthmark?"

"The one under her thigh?" Shadow asked.

"No the other one." He grinned bearing fangs.

"How did you…"

"I was her first. Make a note of that."

* * *

That night was quite hectic. Not only were Angel and Kylee preparing food for the block party the following day but also protecting it from the mouths of Kylee's brothers, Paco and even Shadow. His more sinister side reared its ugly head as he did the following: told Kylee he loved her, kissed her causing her to look away from her cooking and stole a taste. Absolutely evil. He pulled this trick four times and even passed it on to his two minions, Enrique and Marcus, before Kylee finally caught on. Their quote for the night? "I regret nothing!" and this they said while nursing the whelps on their hands. The girls defended the kitchen savagely, especially against the panther, who was fed the line (I swear to you my mother used this on my brother every thanksgiving) "You're too big to be in the way!" When the finally preparations were finished, the food was taken to Angel and Damien's place to be kept safe. The twins were put to bed after Paco left to his house next door and the lovers slept in Shadow's room, which set the panther off the next day. 

"DAMN IT!" Paco growled slamming the door shut to Kylee's bedroom. He stomped to the living room. "WILL YOU PICK A PLACE AND STAY IN IT!"

"Paco man keep it down," came Kylee as she popped out of the kitchen smoothing out her black shirt, which stopped only inches below her breasts and had excessively long sleeves. The big cat rounded on her and she waved him off. "The twins are still sleeping." Shadow strode out of the kitchen, now favorite white shirt wide open and fussing with his bangs.

Paco's eyes widened then he suddenly groaned, "In the kitchen!"

"What?" the black hedge asked blinking innocently then slipping away to the garage.

"Ky, I eat in there!" the panther whined as the said hedgehog circled around him to get to the garage.

"I don't care," she huffed turning up her nose. "I personally think it's about time you get a girl who can cook for you or let someone move in."

"Gah, you know how I feel about strange people in my space." The cat ran a hand over his ears and scratched behind one of them. "Besides, I still haven't found the girl I want."

Kylee began to rummage through a toolbox and pulled out a black, cloth bag. She unlocked the driver's door to the huge, black hummer and hung on it looking back at her brother's best friend. "What you want and what you need aren't the same things."

"How about we strike a deal then," Paco began, "I get either a roommate, girlfriend or maid and you finally move out like you said you would."

"No," she said without a thought to it.

"Why not?"

"I have to take care of my brothers. You should know that." She sat back on the driver's seat and started that loud engine.

Paco took hold of the door and looked up at her in that high position. "So does your boyfriend." Kylee quirked a brow. "The way you two go at it, it's a wonder the twins haven't had the misfortune of walking in on you. It'd be kinda hard on them. You may have them programmed to call you big sis but they'll never stop seeing you as their mother."

"…I'll think about it." With that, the big cat let go of the door and she pulled it shut. She revved the powerful engine once before peeling out of the open garage into the street. The hummer screeched to a halt before the brick house belonging to Angel and Damien and honked the horn. The gray echidna dropped down from the lower roof below the front second story windows dressed in a black T-shirt and blue jeans, everything torn of course. He turned to wave to Angel who was at the door and jogged to the black beast of a car and got in shotgun. "Where's Dragon?" Kylee asked looking over to her friend.

Before Damien could answer, the monster shook slightly and the echidna grinned and pointed up, "Up there."

Kylee leaned out her window and a black bat's face beamed down at her waving. "You know that's not really safe."

"Why not?" he asked dropping down. Dragon wore a gray tank top with some weird symbol on it and black, baggy cargo pants.

"We have to take the back roads because of the block party."

"Oh yeah!" he laughed rubbing the back of his neck. "Forgot about that." The bat climbed through the backseat window and gave a thumbs up when he was buckled up.

"You are so lucky my brother wasn't here to see that," Kylee sniggered pulling on her seatbelt and began to drive the car towards her house. She turned into the woods and followed a dirt road for some time.

"I don't get why he worries about the damn thing," said Damien, turning on the radio to a rock station. "It's a monster. If it got into a car accident it'd probably roll away with a scratch."

"Yeah," Dragon laughed, he seemed in a cheery mood. "This thing could eat other cars."

"That's probably how they get them so big!"

"You guys are so stupid," the red hedgehog groaned rolling her eyes. "They're raised like beef cattle, castrated at a young age so they get all bulky." The three of them joked one another in to fits of laughter before they reached their destination, a huge clearing.

"Are we early?" the black bat asked looking out the window and seeing nothing but trees.

Kylee glanced out as well and suddenly growled, "No, they're late." She punched the steering wheel setting off the horn. "Someone is so getting shanked!"

"Aw don't be like that Ky." Dragon wrapped his arms around the driver's seat and hugged her. "Everything's gunna be okay!"

Damien and Kylee turned to gawk at their friend in the back seat. "Are you high?" the echidna asked giving him a strange look. The bat smiled from ear to ear and shook his head no. "Then why are you so damn happy…wait…You got laid…recently?"

The red hedgehog thought for a second then began to snigger. Her hands shot up to her mouth as she continued to laugh. "What?" Damien asked looking between the two. "Is there something I don't know?" The bat smiled and the hedge kept giggling. "This is so not cool, there ain't shit I don't know so tell me!"

"Ami and Dragon finally hooked up!" the girl squealed and gave her black friend a high five. "Okay when did this happen?"

"You two are such girls," the echidna sighed.

"Last night," Dragon began, "and this morning…" The two pretended to squeal like twelve year old girls to Damien's annoyance before they got serious. "Okay, serious, it was last night. I caught her in one of her angry rants and just let her have it right then."

"If you ask me it's about time," Damien huffed slipping a finger through one of the holes in his shirt and watching it come out another one. "Angel is gunna flip when she hears this."

"Why?" the bat asked scratching one of his large ears.

"She's been plotting to lock you two in a closet since freshmen year," Kylee stated beaming at her friend. "If you hadn't made your move she would have done it for you tonight."

"Aw, she's so sweet…I think." Dragon's sensitive ears twitched. "Something's coming."

"What is it boy?" Damien asked with a slight laugh.

"A jeep with…" He turned his head slightly. "Four people…?" The other two looked out the windshield and sure enough, a red jeep was heading their way kicking up rocks and dust. It skid to a halt a few yards from the hummer. "Should we go now?"

Kyleewatched as a pink hedgehog in a red dress got out the front passenger seat followed by an orange fox with two tails wearing orange cargo shorts and a white baseball jersey top, and a blue hedgehog dressed in blue and red shorts and open button shirt. A top his head sat a pair of goggles. He sported a nice cut on his lower lip. "You two go out first," she said to them still eying the trio standing outside. "You said there were four right?" Dragon nodded and Damien and he slipped out of the hummer and approached the small group.

"HOLA!" Dragon yelled out in his native tongue and the trio shrugged and spoke in a language that was familiar yet he did not understand. "Did you catch that?" he asked his gray friend who shrugged. "Oh shit…"

* * *

Back at the block-party, things were just firing up. Families from across the city were gathering around picnic tables filling them up with hundreds of dishes most being of Latin flavor just like the music that blared from the straightly placed speakers, complements of DJ Psycho. Most of the participants were children running around as their parents danced or talked amongst themselves. All the teenagers and new bloods were still busy getting ready for the biggest party of the year to look good from the opposite gender and sometimes the same. 

"Where did he go?" a little purple cat asked aloud as she and her friends, a red fox, brown otter, and a green cat, paced around a large tree. A black hedgehog snickered a bit as he watched the tots continue a pointless search for him. "Shadow!" the little girl called out.

"Great minds think alike," chuckled that otter from another tree branch just off to where Shadow was perched.

The black hedgehog blinked then smirked some. "I really didn't think I'd be spending the party up a tree," he said eyeing the little girls down below. "It's like the moment Ky leaves they start searching for my like I'm part of some safari."

"Ha!" Jaxon laughed. "This is just the beginning. Wait until the preteens start showing up. You'll wanna rip your ears off." Shadow groaned smacking his head against the tree trunk. He was tired of running around after three straight days of nothing but hard work and hard play. "Just be happy you're not the only one they're hunting for. Me, Sly, Jordan and Roger have been part of this for a few years now."

"I haven't seen your search party around yet," Shadow, said looking through the tree branches to where Antonio was running from a pack of giggling girls.

"They're getting told off by their parents right now which is a big help until dad walks way then mom is all over you." Jaxon shivered along with Shadow. "I like all the attention but sometimes this shit just crosses the line."

"What do you mean?" Shadow asked arching a brow.

"Do you want a twelve year old girl pinching your ass!" he asked pointing a finger at the hedge with a bug-eyed look to him. The black hedgehog twitched a bit then cringed at the thought. "I thought so!"

"THERE HE IS!" cried out a ten year old, female mouse with curly blonde hair.

Jaxon gulped and turned his head downwards to where his pack of worshipers were. "Shit...," he squeaked grasping the tree trunk. Shadow tired to suppress a laugh as the girls jumped up to grab his leg. "Shut the hell up Shady!" One girl managed to latch on to his tail and he yelped as they began to pull him down. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" The black hedgehog nearly laughed himself off his branch as seven little girls pulled that otter out of the tree and away with him clawing at the ground for dear life. "HEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPP!" he cried out as he left Shadow's eyesight. The black hedgehog tried desperately to keep his voice down, but the scene was just too amusing. "Sorry for ya," Shadow sniggered and positioned himself for a well-deserved nap. In his short slumber, he became absorbed in the music of this fiesta. It stirred up a harmonic sort of dance unlike the chaos back at Quake. After his first night there, he was taken there again, this time Kylee refused to go to the top platforms. He danced with her for the first time and as everyone had told him, it was almost like fighting her. She would not stand for being held to close but Shadow managed to put a stop to that. After submitting she let him lead occasionally pulling away to do her own thing but pulled back in again to where he could be more aware of her presence.

Shadow woke but held his eyes shut. He could hear her voice, giggling melodically along with a disturbingly familiar one, which he soon ignored. He was probably hearing things. He continued to listen to Kylee's voice, as it grew more clear and loud. She was just below his tree branch. He grinned and dropped down seeming like a black streak and pinned her to the tree trunk and began kissing her softly caressing her cheek. A very startled group gawked at the sudden make out session which Kylee made no effort to part from. She looked past Shadow as he started on her neck and noticed that they had not left. "Um..." she seemed to purr. "We have an audience," she whispered into his ear. He blinked looking into her silver eyes with hazy rubies then turned to look behind him almost glaring. He eyed two hedgehogs, one blue and male the other pink and female, a small orange, male kit with two tails and a white female bat almost glaring back at him. His right eye did a nervous twitch and he smiled some.

"Ho-ly shit!" the blue hedgehog exclaimed in Japanese, his jaw almost falling off the hinges. The pink hedgehog beside him gasped holding her hands over her mouth while the kitsune gawked. The white bat folded her arms and smirked.

"Um...hi?" Shadow said still very much pressed against Kylee. She was giggling some and tracing a finger down the front of his shirt.

"This is...impossible," Tails stammered wide-eyed. "You fell!" Shadow nodded slowly which seemed to irritate the small fox. "You should be dead!"

"Well it's nice to know you feel that way," he huffed smirking some then turned to Sonic. He was wearing a gold bracelet on his right wrist, which Shadow noticed. "You seem to have something of mine and I have something of yours."

Sonic blinked and looked down at his wrist. "Hey..." He blinked again then suddenly glared at Shadow. "HEY!" He stomped forward. "That was you the other night!" Shadow nodded and pushed off the tree trunk pulling Kylee close to him. "And that chick on the bike was..." He blinked again looking between then two the finally realized how odd this scene was. "You have a...but you're..."

"How did you survive the fall?" Amy gasped coming to the realization a bit late.

"I found him half naked in a crater," Kylee said bluntly and nuzzled against Shadow's cheek.

"Yeah didn't need to know that," Sonic laughed weakly.

"I spent a while here recuperating," Shadow said smiling some then rubbed the back of his neck. "Falling really hurts!"

"But why didn't you contact us when you were better?" Rouge said, finally speaking up. She seemed relieved about something beyond Shadow's knowledge.

"There seemed no point in it. I had no idea where you'd all be and beside I'm pretty much new to this planet. I'd get lost looking for you." He suddenly had the need to hug Kylee and did so closing his eyes for a bit, forcing away unwanted memories.

Rouge smiled crossing her arms. "So does her brother know about you two?" she asked with confidence.

Shadow blinked and turned to look at the white bat. "How do you know about him?"

"She's a resident that's how," Kylee said drawing his attention to her. "Rouge used to chill with us and had a thing for my brother." Kylee ignored the sudden snort Rouge made and continued. "She's Dragon's cousin."

Shadow's red eyes were in danger of falling out of his head. "Rouge has family?" he asked not believing the words coming from his mouth.

"Yeah, caught me off guard too!" Sonic said receiving quite a glare from the white bat before she stormed off. "Always thought she spawned from the fiery pits of hell." The blue hedgehog spotted Shadow and Kylee hugging again and shivered some. "Okay this is way too weird to be ignored." Shadow arched a brow at him. "You're evil! Well...used to be. And you're supposed to be dead!"

Kylee smirked then turned to Shadow and asked in Spanish, "Has he always been like this?" He shrugged rolling his eyes.

"Might I add that you're old?" Sonic said pointing an accusative finger at the couple. "You're old enough to be her grandfather!"

"Yeah I'm a cradle robber alright," he grinned devilishly. "Whatcha gunna do about it faker?" Amy and Tails giggled but Sonic did not find this tease too amusing.

"I thought we settled this already!" he growled. "You're the faker not me."

"I don't think he's capable of faking," Kylee sniggered and Shadow suddenly blushed at the grin she was giving him.

"So, uh where's Knuckles?" He asked trying to ignore the red thing in his arms, which is difficult if one is still holding on.

Sonic seemed slightly relieved at the change of topic. "He's off doing the guardian thing." He took on what he felt would be what the red echidna looked like angry and said in a mocking tone, "I don't have time to fool around with you guys. I have to guard the master emerald."

Shadow laughed slightly, shaking his head. "Sounds like him." He eyed Sonic for a bit then turned to whisper in Spanish to Kylee. She smiled and nodded.

"Hey, Amy, Tails," she said turning to the two younger furs. "How bout you guys come with me for a sec. Ya know, grab some food and do...social shit."

Amy blinked at the invitation to leave Sonic's side but Tails was all to ecstatic. "SURE!" he practically yelled. Kylee smiled and Tails smiled back almost stupidly. He grabbed Amy's hand and followed Kylee to the center of the festivities.

Sonic watched as Kylee and the others walked off. His expression became suddenly sullen. He looked to Shadow he seemed to mirror the same expression as he leaned his back against the tree, arms crossed behind his head as he stared off into the branches. "I see you've been getting along well," Sonic said half-heartedly. The corners of Shadow's mouth twitched and nothing more. The blue hedgehog stood before the black one looking towards the grass. "How did you survive?" he asked narrowing his eyes a bit. He recalled the day he saw him fall so willingly. "I was there. I saw you!"

"I really don't know," Shadow responded above a whisper. "All I remember is passing out from the heat...or probably lack of air."

"You let go..." He looked up to Shadow, green eyes starring through him. "Why? You were just as strong as I was when the fight was over, maybe stronger! Why did you let go!"

Shadow narrowed his eyes but refused to look at Sonic. "Cause at the time there didn't seem any reason to live."

"Bull shit!" he roared slamming his hands on Shadow's shoulders, forcing him to look at him. "You did it cause you thought it would make things right again! You thought it wasn't enough to save the world, you had to die too!"

Shadow glared at the younger hedgehog and shoved him away. "I was right wasn't I?" he asked in a fierce tone. "The world is saved, Shadow's dead. Everyone's happy!" Shadow took a step forward then looked off. "Everyone outside this valley thinks I'm dead. It's for the better."

"Not everyone thinks you're dead and you know that!" Sonic growled curling his hands into fists. "This entire city will be over run in lord knows how long unless you lead them away."

"I can't do that," he said looking towards a group of dancing people.

Sonic followed his gaze where the music was the loudest. In the center of a crowd, he saw red hair tipped with white spinning around the blissful face of Kylee. "You're staying cause of her aren't you?" He was not going to wait for an answer. "You know you can't do that. You'll endanger everyone here, including her, if you stay!"

"If I run the same thing will happen all over again!" he growled glaring at the grass. A fist suddenly connected with his jaw and he fell back a ways shocked. He looked up at the fuming Sonic as he held his cheek.

"Stop living in the past damn it!" he yelled. "It's over okay! Stop being such a selfish ass hole and leave while they still have a chance!"

Shadow grinned sadistically and even laughed a little at this. Sonic took a step back as he watched him stand up straight. "That's where you're wrong," he said still laughing a bit. "See you didn't get what I said before so let me make it easy for you." He glared at Sonic, his hands curling into fists. "It's too late. They already know I'm here and whether I leave or not they'll still tear this city apart. It's not a matter of if I can save this place, it's will I. And believe me Sonic; nothing will stand in my way to protect my home. Not G.U.N, not anybody, especially you!" Sonic stepped back a bit, his gaze softening as Shadow looked away. "Once everyone is safe again I'll leave and never come back, but tell me something Sonic." The blue hedge looked up to him but noticed he was still staring towards the empty dance floor. "If it were you and Amy in our place would you run when she needed you most?"

Sonic blinked a bit shocked then looked away ashamed. "I've been pushing her away for that very same reason," he said seething a bit. "So I'd never have that option but it's happened before and it'll probably happen again so no." He smiled weakly. "I care about her too much to let her get hurt because of me." He laughed some running his hand through his blue spines. "We're too much alike you know that?" Shadow nodded. He glanced up into Kylee's beaming face as she raced forward dragging an equally excited Amy with her dressed in a pair of tight blue jeans and a tight red halter top showing off what Shadow never noticed. He shook this out of his mind as Kylee neared.

"Are those your clothes?" he asked pointing to Amy, eyeing her a bit. The girl blushed and turned towards a very stunned Sonic.

"Heh, yeah," Kylee said snaking her arms around his neck and smirking a little. "Some jealous bitch poured beer on her dress but we showed her didn't we Amy?" The girl giggled and nodded.

"Hope nothing too horrible," he said smirking and pulling her into his arms.

"Let's just say she won't be crossing me ever again." She grinned sadistically and Shadow blinked the laughed a bit at this. He eyed Sonic and Amy then directed Kylee back towards the dance floor. "So you are going to dance with me tonight." He nodded and kissed her softly. As Kylee and Shadow walked away, the other two hedges continued to eye one another feeling left in an awkward position.

"You look great," he said directing his eyes to hers and she smiled blushing a little.

Amy pulled a bit at her shirt. "I tried to get a bigger shirt but Kylee wasn't having any of it," she said still rosy cheeked.

"It looks good on you." Suddenly looked off then back to her. "Um, Amy?"

"Yes, Sonic?" she asked feeling her heart flutter a bit.

He took her hand in his, kissed her softly, then back away some. "Dance with me?" She was still a bit stunned from the sudden kiss but smiled nodding slowly and followed him to where Shadow and Kylee were drawing the eyes of many as they danced through every Latin style known. Their bodies set to the heartbeat-like pace of the music Sonic found it alarming that Shadow was capable of such moves. As he made to dip Kylee, her twin brothers ran by followed by a few girls. She managed to slip out of her grip and settle the dispute, which seemed to amuse the black hedgehog. An orange, female feline approached Shadow while she was absent and began talking to him while the ground went to do its own thing.

"Oh no!" Amy Gasped and Sonic eyed her a bit. "That's the girl who poured beer on my dress."

"I thought you two dealt with her?" he said helping her to reach Shadow in the middle of the crowd of dancers.

"Apparently not well enough." When they finally made it to Shadow, he was smiling, bored and trying to shake the woman as he looked for Kylee. The woman spotted Amy and began to laugh as she hugged Shadow's arm.

"Okay seriously," Shadow said trying to pry her off. "I'm not interested."

"Yeah so back off bitch!" came Kylee's voice. The moment Shadow spotted her standing flanked with Angel and Ami to her right and Rouge and Amy to her left he some how ended up between Damien and Sonic looking slightly confused. The orange cat soon had a few girls of her own.

Shadow attempted to move forward but Damien held him back. "I should stop this," he said insisting he be let go.

"And miss all the fun? I don't think so," the echidna laughed. "Besides this isn't your fight." Shadow glowered at him but looked back to the proceedings in what now became a circle on the dance floor. The music had actually stopped and not a soul was elsewhere. Kylee seemed to be smiling then stepped towards the girl.

"Rosa," she said sharply.

Rosa eyed her with a look of disgust and spat, "Kyleena."

She sighed a bit shaking her head and spoke in English, "I was nice enough to let you stay even though you weren't invited and even after you spilled beer on my friends dress." Rosa rolled her eyes while the non-speaking women glared at one another. "And now this...this what ever you think you was doing with my man!"

"Well maybe he wanted a real woman," she said turning up her nose a bit. "Not some scrawny lil tomboy, but I guess that's what happens when you mom dies and you dad runs out on you. Oops!" She made a fake gasp and held a hand to her mouth. "Did I just say that?" Her friends laughed shrilly and Kylee growled.

The red hedgehog made an advance when Rosa looked away but Rouge and Angel pulled her back and spoke to her swiftly before letting her go. "So when you do have a mom and dad around you turn out like the village bike?" she asked grinning a bit.

Rosa narrowed her eyes. "Well I hope that gang your brutha's in runs a train on your ass just like they did ya mama!" she said crossing her arms. That had apparently been the last nerve. All Shadow could see from his distance was Kylee lunge forward on to the cat and the crowed shrunk in on them.

"Oh shit!" Damien said and began to pull the two male hedges through the dense crowd.

"I told you I should have stopped it!" Shadow snapped at Damien and went forward on his own having no trouble literally picking up people and placing them out of the way.

"I didn't think she'd start talkin' about her moms," he said trying to sound apologetic. They reached the girls too late as Rouge and Angel were holding Kylee back as she screamed a various colorful words and phrases in Spanish still trying to get at Rosa who was being held up by her girlfriends. She looked like she had gone a few rounds with a boxer, decorated with several bruises, scratches and a black eye. Kylee looked complexly fine except for a scratch on her right cheek the size of hell.

"SOME BODY HELP US!" Rouge hollered and Shadow rushed forward snatching Kylee from them and forcing her to remain still as he stared at her narrowing his eyes a bit. "Calm down," he whispered and she glared back at him breathing hard.

"YEAH YOU BETTER GET YOUR MAN!" yelled one of Rosa's girls and Kylee managed to slip out of Shadow's grip for a second but her pulled her back. "Kylee!" The red hedgehog huffed and sulked in Shadow's arms until he released her then looked dead into his eyes. He was about to speak but then wind kicked up in an odd manner. Both he and Kylee looked up and around for the source then Kylee's face brightened and she began to drag him towards the open field where they played football.

"He's home!" she said over the large gust being caused by the blades of a helicopter. Shadow was about to inquire as to who but then he remembered the missing Ruez and smirked. He lifted Kylee into his arms, startling her, and quickly made to the head of the pack. He stood off to the edge of the field with her still in his arms as he looked up at the metal behemoth preparing to land. Sonic, Amy, Angel, Damien, Rouge and others soon flanked him and stared up as well.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed part one. I should have part two up in a week or so come the long weekend. The week of food and family. Be sure to check out my other three fics, two of which to be updated in the coming week as well. As for part two of Home Coming, special guests San Renard at his lovely gf Ally. I promised Daniel Renard a camio for his char like ages ago! And I'm finally closing in on it! Ya me! So Read and Review then go check out the awesome art of this couple or I'll shank you all! 


	14. Home Coming: Part Two

Formalities at the bottom people

* * *

Home Coming: Part Two

The winds of the helicopter were becoming unbearable causing the gaggle of partygoers to turn away to keep dirt out of their eyes. Shadow however did not look away and noted the three persons aboard, one dawning the red and white hair shared by the Ruez family. As the copter landed and the blades slowed, the group looked back and gasped.

"Oh dear gawd they let him fly!" Kylee groaned smacking her forehead. Shadow arched a brow and looked to the cockpit spotting an orange fox with brown hair and a glint in his eye.

The first to leave the helicopter was a voluptuous white cat dressed in khaki hip huggers and a baby blue tank top. She had a few piercings in her ears that poked out from under a mass of short brown hair. She adjusted her sunglasses as she gazed around the welcoming group and waved to Kylee who blinked somewhat and waved back. She leaned over to Shadow and said, "I have no idea who that is." He tried not to laugh and returned to watching the copter. The next to exit was a male hedgehog sporting the red and white quills. Shadow automatically assumed this Kylee's brother. From a distance, he could tell that he was shorter than he was. The man's hair was cut short and unruly; his eyes were the same silver color as he glared through the sunlight. He wore a simple pair of blue jeans with a white shirt over his shoulder.

"JOSÉ!" Kylee yelled and rushed forward followed by her twin brothers. José looked up to his sister and was pounced on. Soon Enrique and Marcus joined in on the pile. Kylee punched her brother quite hard in the shoulder. "What the hell took you so long to get back huh?" she seemed to growl.

José was about to answer when he noted that amongst the group heading their way was Shadow staring at him idly. He shrugged this off and hugged all of his siblings. "I had some business to attend to that's all," he said with a smile.

"Is that really Ky?" came another male's voice. The pilot stepped out wearing a red and black shirt and baggy black jeans. On his head looked to be some sort of whip getup. Around his forehead sat a Japanese headband with three whip-like pieces of sheet metal, the front colored blue and the two to the side red and green. All of them bent in different ways and looked extremely dangerous. Shadow felt something wrong about this and took a step back.

Kylee looked up to the one who asked about her and smiled somewhat. "Hey San!" she said waving a bit.

"I see you finally grew a chest!" he laughed. He felt someone tugging on his tail and quickly turned to face the white cat. Everyone within five feet ducked and sighed in relief. "I was only tellin' the truth Ally." He froze at the sound of a slight growl coming from behind him. He turned and Shadow had to duck quickly before his head could be lopped off. "Oh um…hi." San held out his hand to Shadow.

"Down boy," Kylee giggled and untangled herself from her family and stood by Shadow. "Shadow, this is an old friend, San and…" She blinked for a moment, eyeing the white cat. "San, this isn't Ally is it."

"Yep!" he said proudly and pulled the white cat into his arms giving her a kiss on the cheek. Kylee stifled a laugh and the fox glared at her. "What's so funny?"

"She's too damn pretty to be your girlfriend!"

"Hey!"

"She's got a point ya know," Ally said with a slight smirk on her face.

San's eyes watered over as he looked to his girlfriend. "So cruel!"

Kylee gave Ally a hug. "Hi, I'm Kylee." She smiled sweetly. "I've heard a lot about you."

"And I've heard a lot about this place. Crazy from what I've been told."

"Basically." Shadow's mind began to wander through out all the girly banter when the word "COUSIN" rang through his ear. He turned to see Angel and Antonio hurrying forward. San turned quickly to face him and once again, the people around him dropped down quickly. Shadow arched a brow wondering if everyone had family here.

"Angel, Antonio!" San yelled which was unnecessary and embraced his fellow fox family. "Good to see you again little cousins."

"Hey," Angel began as she pointed a finger at him. "I am not little!"

San peered over her head and smirked. "Yeah, you are!" Angel growled and was turned to be introduced to Ally. She made the same comment as Kylee and he went to sulk by the chopper.

"Let's put it this way man," José began as he clasped hands with a few old friends. "She's still with you for a reason." San seemed enlightened by this and went to snog his girlfriend who later insisted he remove the death trap from his head. José turned in time to see Shadow and Kylee kissing as well. "HEY MAN!" He pushed the two of them apart receiving quite a glare from his sister. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked sizing up Shadow who cocked a brow, seeing where the resemblance kicked in.

"Kissing my girlfriend, what else does it look like?" he said keeping a stern eye on the male red hedge. The group around them began to listen in, doing poorly of trying not to make it seem obvious.

"Wrong buddy!" José said, poking Shadow in the chest. His red eyes narrowed on him and he was about to shove him back but chose against it for Kylee's sake. "You were kissing MY little sister and that does not fly man!"

"JOSÉ!" Kylee shrieked, her cheeks turning a deep rose as she noticed the procession homing in on them.

"Will you leave those two alone!" sounded Rouge as she approached the three of them. The look on José's face changed from anger to shock and joy as he spotted the white bat.

"Rouge, baby!" he seemed to laugh with his arms stretched out to her. The white bat growled and punched him. He fell back holding his cheek.

"Saw that coming," San commented, now headband-less, holding onto Ally and keeping a safe distance. Shadow was amused at the power the woman had behind her fist and took this opportunity to wrap his around his love before her brother could say other wise.

"Oh come on baby why you gotta be like that?" José groaned from the ground.

Her foot swung up and connected with his gut. "Don't call me baby!" she growled.

"Oh damn!" Kylee giggled and took hold of her twin brothers. "You guys go play now. I don't want you guys to see this." They protested at first but noting the way their brother grimaced decided it was best to leave, taking Tails with them.

"Four years damn it!" Rouge screamed and kicked the defenseless hedgehog again. "Four fucking years!" Sonic was about to step in but Shadow stopped him. He actually pitied the elder Ruez. He himself had once been on the wrong side of this bat's wrath.

"I said I was OUGHF!" He crumbled at her foot once more and coughed a bit for air. "I said I was sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Rouge kicked him again. "You kept me waiting for four years! I came back here to kick your face into the dirt but you were already long gone!"

"Can't we just burry this whole thing and start over?" he pleaded on his knees before Rouge, whose eyes began to water over some.

"HELLO NO!" She screamed and kicked him across his jaw. He fell back and She was about to stomp on him when Shadow took a hold of her and held her away from him. He did this out of the sake of gaining some credit with José. "LET ME GO SHADOW!"

"No." He looked to Damien and Jaxon. "Are all the women here this damn crazy?"

"Only the ones with huge racks," San chimed in. "Ouch! Like this one." He pointed his thumb at Ally before hugging her.

Kylee began to tend to her brother with and with Damien and Jaxon's help, moved him to a picnic table. "I really didn't mean to stand her up," he murmured as he looked to where Rouge sat crying against Shadow's chest.

The black hedgehog was slowly getting used to comforting crying women, as they seemed to flock to him. He sighed and began patting her on the back, trying to calm her down. In truth, seeing Rouge cry was a bit unsettling. She seemed so strong. "Guess having your heart broken really breaks a person huh," he said mostly to himself as he stared off to where Kylee sat patching up and scolding her brother before she rose up and approached them.

"It's like someone bore a hole into your chest," she sniffed then looked up at him with blood shut eyes looking into the cold red stare then laid her head on his chest once more. "Men are such assholes."

"No, just Ruez men," Kylee said standing over the two of them noting the slight plea in Shadow's eyes. She crouched beside them, rubbing Rouge's shoulder. "He really did mean it when he said he was sorry."

"So why didn't he say anything then and instead of waiting years after?" she shrieked and cried harder.

Kylee sighed rubbing the back of her neck. "It's because of me." Rouge turned and glared at the girl. "The day before the wedding I was doing a grudge match and ended up in intensive care for a while. José stayed behind to look after me. He and his piece of shit memory forgot all about you until I woke up a week later and yelled at him for it." She sighed again and looked up at Shadow holding his gaze as she spoke. "I tried to get him to go to you to get the beating he deserved but he set off on a bounty to pay for my medical bill."

"Did you win?" the white bat asked in a cracked voice. "If you didn't I'm kickin' your ass too."

Kylee made a weak smile. "I used the prize money to buy your wedding presents."

Shadow took notice to Rouge's ears twitching and looked up to see José limping over with Paco and San at he sides. The two stopped short and let him continue on his own. Shadow took this as the cue to leave the two alone and slowly raised from Rouge, giving her a nod then took his love's hand and led her towards the house.

"So what do you think of my brother?" Kylee asked as they settled on the front porch. Shadow wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.

"He seems…stable," he said then winced as his arm was pinched. "Hey, believe me when I say anyone in love with Rouge is crazy."

"Everyone thinks that," Kylee laughed and leaned more into him. "I mean overall."

"He seems like the type to stab me in my sleep." Kylee began to giggle and Shadow eyed her for a moment, arching a brow. "What?"

"Everyone thinks that too. It's a wonder he has friends but then again Paco and San are both idiots or just as crazy as him."

"I see…" He pondered over this bit of information as he hugged his love closer to him.

"Aren't you worried about what he thinks about you?" Kylee asked shifting in his arms to look into his ruby eyes.

"Not really." He shrugged looking off. "People can think what they want about me but the only opinion that matters to me is yours." He hugged her once more and she made the typical "that was sweet" noise then gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Besides if he does try and kill me in my sleep he'll have to find me first."

Kylee blinked and looked up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"I'm getting my own place." He stood up and began to carry her to the dance floor noting the very stunned look on her face.

* * *

The party would progress into the late evening hours and on into the early morn. Hours of endless dancing and food that never seemed to run out no matter how much they consumed. By three the fiesta had finally ended and all prepared for three hours of slumber before the workday began. The fox San had taken a spare room in his cousin's house with his girlfriend. Sonic and the gang were invited to the Ruez house though Sonic insisted that they return to their hotel. Tails and the twins slept in a pile on the floor in the twins' bedroom while Amy and Sonic snoozed innocently in Kylee's room. Rouge took to the master bedroom with José while Shadow and Kylee lay in his bed wrapped in one another's arms. 

Shadow growled as the door creaked open, a stream of light pouring in. He had as clue as to who it was and had good reason to be cross. José had pestered he and Kylee most of the night, the least the man could do was let them get some sleep.

"Ky," José called out as he leaned in the doorway over looking a sight he thought he would never have to see. He ignored the glare from Shadow and looked to his sister's back. She stirred a bit but did not answer. "Ky!"

"Go, away!" she hissed and curled up closer to Shadow.

Silver narrowed at red. "We need to talk."

"Later, I'm tired."

"Now!"

"ROUGE!" Kylee screamed, causing Shadow to shudder at the high pitch so close to his ears. It did not take the white bat long to appear in the hall behind José tapping her bare feet on the floor as she stood in one of his larger shirts.

"Will you give it a rest already and leave them alone," she said in a low voice. "He's not going to corrupt her mind." She began to pull him towards his room. "If anything it'll be the other way around." The door was shut as Rouge pulled him down on to the bed but once he was released, he shot up and began pacing around his room that had gone untouched for over two weeks.

"There's just something that isn't right with it," he said as he rubbed at the back of his neck then looked to his renewed love. "I mean he tried to destroy the world."

Rouge glared at him. "I know what you're doing! You're looking for a reason to hate him."

"What? That's just stupid."

"Admit that you're scared!"

"Of what?"

"Of your baby sister leaving you." She sighed and pushed to her feet then approached him. "She's an adult now and can make her own decisions." José sighed and looked off. A soft hand touched to his cheek and he looked back at Rouge. "From what I've seen she is happy with him. The happiest I've seen in a long time. Yes, Shadow has a criminal record the size of Angel Island but he's changed or if anything he's the way he was before."

José sighed once more then pulled Rouge into his arms. "She has been smiling more and she didn't kick my ass like she always does when I come home." The white bat smiled and gave him a soft kiss. "But!" Rouge groaned rolling her eyes then made towards the bed. "I'm still the oldest. I've got a responsibility ya know." He pulled Rouge back to him. "I'm gunna have a one on one with him."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Promise you won't start anything?" she asked, almost pleading.

"Scouts honor!"

"You were never in the scouts."

"Yes I was." He smiled and kissed her walking her back towards the bed. "My first badge was in chasin' ass."

Rouge smirked as they fell back. "And I'm guessing your second was in getting your ass kicked." José narrowed his eyes at her then began to bite at her neck causing her to scream.

Shadow shuddered and Kylee stirred a bit then looked to him. "What's wrong?" she asked with a yawn.

He pulled her closer to her and whispered into her ear. "Ever have the feeling Hell might have frozen over?" he asked. She gave him a look then nuzzled against his chest. "Kinda figured you hadn't."

* * *

Close to eight in the morning, Kylee woke to find herself alone. She looked to the empty spot on the bed and saw a note on the pillow. She picked it up and as she wandered down stairs read it. She stepped into her room, ignoring the couple still sleep in her bed and pulled on some jeans, not bothering to change out of Shadow's shirt. She folded the note and flipped on the light in her room. Sonic shot up, shirtless and eyes darting around the room. "Breakfast is in twenty minuets," she said and left to the kitchen. She pulled out all the essential tools when José stepped in. 

"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked with a yawn.

Kylee narrowed her eyes at him then turned on the stove. "He's at work," she said in a haughty tone.

José grinned. "Good." Kylee was about to ask about the smug look on his face but he left too quickly. He paced around outside with a cell phone to his ear until it finally picked up. "San?"

There was silence for a while. "Breakfast ready?" the said in a groggy tone.

José sighed shaking his head a bit. "Not yet. Listen I need you to keep an eye on someone for me."

"…go fuck yourself."

"I'm serious here."

"I am too! Have fun fucking yourself!"

"Come on man!"

"I'm on vacation! Do I have to spell it out? V A…cation!"

"Do it as a favor."

"…"

"Please…I'll pay ya."

"How much?"

"A thousand."

"…deal. So who is it this time?"

"Shadow."

"Aw fuck no man!"

"You said you'd do it!"

"Are you trying to get me killed? That guy is probably real anal about his personal space."

"Just do it!"

"Okay, okay! So where is this guy gunna be anyways?"

"Sugah Lots."

"Priceless…okay laters man." San hung up his cell half tempted to chuck it across the room put set it on the nightstand and looked to Ally still fast asleep. "God, she's gunna kill me."

Damien stood within a large garage before a lifted car as a black blur dashed around it. The soda bottle in his hand held up to his face as his jaw hung open. Antonio stepped out in a garage uniform with the logo Sugah Lots in red and white across the back. He looked over the echidna's gaze and waved a hand in his face. "Hello?" he said and stepped around him. "Anyone home in there?"

"Four," Damien said, he not believing the word itself. Antonio arched a brow. "He's changed the spark plugs of four cars, rotated the tires of every car in here, is currently changing the oil of three trucks and I swear his holding that last one up himself!" They both gawked as Shadow pushed out from under a red truck, the white shirt he wore dirty with the sleeves rolled up. The truck lowered as he moved away and he sighed a bit with a satisfied smile and looked to Damien.

"Sweet mother of god," Antonio awed.

"Yeah, he's done all your work too."

"What!"

"You were late."

Shadow whipped his forehead with his arm and approached the two. "Anything else?" he asked looking back at his handy work.

Damien was about to say something smart then decided against it. "Follow me," he said and led Shadow out the front of the garage and around to the back. There sat a large carport in the back alley with a blanketed object beneath it. Shadow arched a brow. Damien held up a finger and removed the sheet revealing the rusted frame of a car made for humans.

"What the hell is this piece of junk?" Shadow asked moving to take a close look.

"It's a 1965 Ford Mustang," came the voice of a familiar gray cat. Ami appeared over the carport with her laptop open across her legs. "Apparently a classic muscle car for human standards."

"And what is it doing here?" the black hedgehog asked.

"We found it wind surfing out in the desert a few years back," Damien stated. "The frame isn't salvageable but the design alone is all we need to get started on our own."

"Whoa, wait a minuet! You guys want to fix this?" Shadow looked to the both of them, each holding a serious face. "There's nothing to fix here. It's just a shell, hell, it's not even that."

"This frame alone has racked up one million in bids," Ami said and dropped down to stand before him. "Imagine how much we could make if it was whole again."

"This is crazy!" he said pacing around the alley. "I mean yeah, it's quite obvious humans want a relic like this but how are we supposed to fix it without parts?"

"We're not gunna fix it you are," Damien said.

"You're joking?"

"Not at all and Ami will help you." Shadow groaned running a hand over his quills. "The frame has already been copied and it's on its way along with a bunch of other parts. When it's done the shop will auction it off in Central City and you'll get half of whatever it rakes in."

"This thing better be worth something in the end or I'm kickin' your ass for wastin' my time," he said glaring at Damien.

"Hey, why just me?"

"Cause I'm a lady!" Ami said, smirking and walked around front followed by Shadow and the distraught echidna. San dropped down from the roof of the garage and looked over the old car frame, seeming unimpressed then disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

"That's it?" José asked, arching a brow. He and San sat across one another at Toni's Pizza. 

"Yeah, pretty much," San murmured through a slice of pizza.

"No girl on the side, secret gang, fight club…anything!"

San arched a brow. "Why do you want to peg him so badly? Besides the trying to destroy the world trip he's an alright guy."

"Because he's dating my sister and I have a responsibility to up hold!" he said slamming his fist on the table.

The fox moved his remaining slice of pizza from harms way. "You're afraid of her leaving aren't you?"

"Shut up!"

"You're seriously going to have to get over this. She's all grown up now." He sighed rubbing the back of his neck. "She's not going to suddenly die if she leaves, okay? It's time she starts living her life. The twins start school at the end of the summer; they won't need her all day anymore." He stood up to leave but stopped, removed a picture from his back pocket and tossed it on the table. "Something to think about." With that, he left, brushing past Shadow as he entered the diner.

José glanced down at the picture he held, there sat his sister and Shadow, Shadow's arms wrapped around her as he leaned against a fence. Both held a pure smile He looked up as the black hedgehog sat before him, arms crossed and holding an annoyed look. "I'm told you're getting your own place," he said placing the photo facedown.

"Did your little spy tell you that?" he asked even sounding annoyed. He was not thrilled to discover he had been tailed all day like some criminal and even less to discover who it was. He no longer cared whose brother José was. To him he was just another problem.

"Actually Rouge did," he said in a calm tone as he eyed the man sitting across from him. "She helped you pick out one up town, am I right?"

"You can tiptoe around the issue all you want some other time," he said in a cold tone. "I know you don't want me dating Kylee."

"I see you're smarter than I thought."

"Ha, ha." He eyed the facedown picture and leaned back in his seat. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going to try and steal her away from this place and I'm about as willing to let her go as you." He quickly thought back to his conversation with Sonic. Some things were truly easier to say than to do.

"I got a problem with the age gap too." Shadow arched a brow; he saw this one coming a mile away. "You're like fifty years her senior; don't you see anything wrong in that?"

"No I don't!" he growled. The subject of his age had finally worn down to the bone of his irritation for it. "Do you think I wanted to be locked in stasis for that long? Hell no! Fuck, I didn't even ask to be born. Do you want to know how old I was when they froze me?" He paused to watch José's eyes narrow. "Nineteen." He looked to his reflection in the window beside them and glared. "I haven't changed since then."

José furrowed his brow. "You see where the other problem is now?" Shadow sighed, resting his face in his hands. He could imagine just how life would progress around him. As he stayed youthful, his love would grow old and eventually die on him leaving him alone in the world once more. There was, however, something in the back of his mind nagging him; the strong familiarity of those silver eyes. It was almost haunting.

Kylee smiled as her brothers chased one another through the house; Paco stretched out on the couch. She waited idly by the microwave, waiting for the popcorn to finish popping so they could finally stop the movie. She sighed, thinking back to what Shadow mentioned to her before leaving. She hopped for José sake he did not say anything to try and drive him away. She glanced up seeing something move past the kitchen window. "What the…" she whispered. She did not hesitate to grab a shotgun from the highest cupboard, load it and wandered out to the living room.

The black panther sat up as he saw the weapon. "What's wrong?" he asked reaching under the couch, pulling out a similar weapon.

"I'm not sure," she said in a low tone then called out to her brothers. "Enrique, Marcus! Hide and seek now!" She held up her gun to a near by window, moving to see out of it. Her brothers had not heard her as they raced into the room, sliding past her. She looked down at them and growled. "I said now!"

"LOOK!" Enrique in black yelled pointing out the window.

Paco shot up to get a look of the window. Kylee's eyes grew frantic as she stared into glowing reds. "…Shadow…" The microwave went off and she shot at the window.

* * *

Well that was it for now kiddies. 

First off San Renard is owned by Daniel Renard (check out his art ) and Ally is own by Val ( use google as a sear help cause this damned link shis isn't working!) I shit you now when I say they totally own your asses! I can't believe I'm finally reaching the end of this fic. It's actually pretty sad when you think about it. Four years man FOUR YEARS! What the hell am I gunna do after this? Well anyways read and review while I go pray to some pagan god for more to write about. Till next time readers!

Oh yeah Shadow, Sonic and co owned by Sega/Archie!


	15. Game Time

Chapter 14: Game time

The bat, Dragon, smiled as he wandered up to Ami's room with a box of pizza, his fingers covered in paint. The black party had inspired him to do a great piece now somewhere in the downtown district three stories high. He slipped in. "Ami, I brought home a OMPH!" Ami looked up at him with tears streaming down her face and a few papers clutched in her hand. "Hun, what's wrong?" He asked setting aside the pizza and wrapping his arms around her. She shook her head and held up the papers to him. He eyed them curiously then began to read:

TheGiant: Ami, I'm so sorry

Spooky: Sorry about what?

TheGiant: I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot.

Spooky: What? What's wrong Jordan?

TheGiant: I told them

Spooky: Told what and to who? Jordan you're not making any sense.

TheGiant: I'm sorry. I told them where the valley is and everything. They threatened to kill my friends if I didn't.

Spooky: WHAT? Jordan who did you tell?

TheGiant: GUN. I told them everything. They said they would kill them all if I didn't do what they said.

Spooky: WHAT? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?

Spooky: We're your family! Family means a hell of a lot more than friends!

TheGiant: I'm sorry!

Spooky: Sorry doesn't cut it! You sold us out. Now everyone will know where we are and we'll be over run by BS from the outercities. Our parents will get arrested, we'll all be arrested! Do you get this? Is this getting through your fat skull? YOU SOLD OUT YOUR HOME!

TheGiant:…I'm so sorry. It's already done but you'll be safe I promise. They're not after you guys just the black hedgehog named Shadow.

Spooky: No! This isn't happening! He has a family now damn it! He's dating Ky! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS!

TheGiant: They promised to leave you guys alone if you just give him up!

Spooky: Well good luck to them. They're not gettin' past the net.

TheGiant:…

Spooky: You didn't…

TheGiant: I've been hacking into your comp since before this conversation started…I'm sorry

Spooky: YOU BASTARD!

Spooky: YOU CAN'T DO THIS!

TheGiant: Ami there is a gun to my head as we speak. I can't stop what I'm doing until they're inside or they'll kill me and go back on their word. I'm sorry okay.

Spooky: You can't trust GUN Jordan!

TheGiant: I know that now. Just do what you can to prepare

Spooky: I'll never forgive you for this

TheGiant: I wasn't expecting you to.

Dragon's eyes shook as he crushed the papers in his hand and looked to Ami. "The bastard had the nerve to print this shit out then fragged my computer," she sniffed, clutching his shirt tightly. Dragon looked to the computer, the screen was off and the tower was smoking. "I couldn't stop him!"

"We have to warn everyone, especially Shadow," he said, trying to stay calm for his girlfriend's sake. He hugged her close. "You stay here and try to get into the system again; I'll go tell the others." She nodded, giving him a kiss on the cheek then ducked into her room. Dragon sighed as his heart raced. He shot out the house and flew down the street to the Ruez house with the paper's still clutched in his hand. He was about to enter the door when the lights of the hummer caught his attention. The moment José stepped out of the car he dropped down startling him.

"HOLY SHIT!" the red hedgehog yelled, grabbing hold of his heart. "YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!"

Shadow walked around the car and arched a brow, watching as Dragon stammered incoherently out of breath. He handed José the papers in his hand. The red hedgehog began to read. "What's going on?" Shadow asked moving to look at the pages.

José crushed the paper and ran to the front door finding it ajar. "No…" He walked in, Shadow and Dragon following and stopping dead in the living room. Across the walls, in furniture, in the floor and ceiling were gun shots, claw marks and burns of an unusual type. The coffee table was crushed, the windows broken in; even the ceiling had a gapping hole the size of a human man. The walls and floor held massive punch marks and in some places there was blood. Blood spattered across the walls and floor.

Shadow's heart was racing as he stepped forward, the other men no longer important to him. "Ky…" he said and began to walk through the house. He stopped in the middle of the living room looking around and suddenly lost.

José raced through the house calling for his siblings and stopped dead by the stairs. There his best friend lay sprawled on the stairs with his back to him. "Shit!" he said then rushed over. He wasn't sure if it was safe to move him but instead shook him. "Paco?" He heard a tiny voice obviously not the panthers and looked to the stairs. A tiny hand stuck out from under Paco. José grabbed hold of it. "Marcus? Enrique?" he called out hopping to hear them both.

"It's me Enrique!" the little one coughed.

"Oh thank god!" he sighed, smiling in relief. "Where's your brother and sister?" He moved Paco, noting that he was still breathing and laid him on his back close to the wall, he was beaten up pretty bad and deserved the rest. He pulled his brother from the hiding place and repeated his question. The little hedgehog had blood-shot eyes and was still crying as he looked at his brother. "Enrique?"

"They're…gone," he sniffed wiping his eyes with his fist. "They…" He hiccupped, trying to stay calm, his little body shaking. "They took 'em."

"Who?" José asked growing frantic. "Who took them, Enrique? You have to tell me so I can get them back."

"I don't know!" he wailed. Dragon stood in the hall and watched as brother embraced brother. He knew and Jose knew just who these people belonged to but not who they were specifically. Jose wanted revenge on only them.

"Tell me what they look like little brother and I promise I'll bring them back." Enrique gulped a few times then gave a crude description of several metal hedgehogs standing taller than Paco all with red eyes, each one with a different color body. José stood, carrying his brother as he moved towards Dragon. "Call out everyone. We've got no time to waste. Send someone over to look at Paco and my brother. We need a perimeter and a full on search of the city. They couldn't have gotten far." Dragon nodded then took off into the night. José then looked to Shadow who stared blankly at the floor. "Hey…Shadow?"

His voice was a far away whisper to him, the room a distant memory. He wasn't on Mobius any more much less this house. He was on ARK; a massacre of scientist and friends lay before his eyes. His heart was pounding in his chest, eyes wide. Someone's voice tried to reach him but he couldn't hear it, whoever it was. He was shaking and looked to his hands, freezing on the spot. There was blood on his hands and at his feet two dead GUN soldiers. That voice called out to him again, a flash of blonde then nothing; no sound or sight, touch or thought.

"SHADOW!" José yelled and reached out to shake Shadow. He lashed out and glared at him with fierce eyes. José jumped back. "What the fuck is wrong with you man?" Enrique was gone from his arms, off to watch over Paco as the two men stood alone in the living room. Shadow blinked out of his flashback of rage then calmed looking away with a hand to his face. José grew a bit concerned. "Look man, you need to pull yourself together. We need to find my brother and sister before something happens to them."

Shadow nodded, eyes shifting about the room. "Right…" he said in a low tone then made towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Jose called after him. He grabbed his arm to pull him back and they narrowed eyes at one another. "We have to make a plan and get help."

"Okay and while you're doing that I'll go find them," he said breaking out of his grip then shot off into the night.

"WAIT!" José growled and looked down the hall to his remaining brother. "Fucking bastard…" He pulled out his cell and began to pace around the couch as he waited for someone to pick up. "SAN!"

"I'm sorry sweetie but San can't come to the phone right now," Ally said cheerily, a muffled cry in the background. "He's a little tied up right now." There was a commotion then Ally screamed falling off of her boyfriend's back.

"HELP!"

"Will you two stop fucking around I've got a serious problem going on!" José snapped. Ally and San hushed looking to one another then back at the phone.

San took the phone, composing himself bit. "What happened?" he asked, beginning to pace his cousin's guestroom.

"It's GUN, they have Ky and Marcus."

"Shit…" He sighed running his free hand over his hair then looked to Ally seeing her worried and not even knowing the severity of it all. "Have you called the others?"

"Yes, the whole city should know in a few minuets. We're gathering in the field. I need everyone there. I think they're still in the city. If we get enough people looking we can find them before they…" He gulped.

"Yeah I understand man. I'll be there in a bit." San hung up and moved to pull on a shirt.

"What's going on? What happened?" He looked back at Ally for a moment then turned away grabbing the keys to his copter. "San?"

"GUN's here." She gasped. "They have Ky and her brother. I'm going to help find them." He walked to her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Stay here."

"Like hell I am!" She hopped out of bed and stood before him. "I'm coming too!"

"It's too dangerous!"

"I don't care!" she snapped. "I'm as much family to them as you are! They need all the help they can get finding them."

"But!"

"No buts! I'm not being left behind!"

San sighed, defeated then pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "God I love you." Ally blushed, smiling then led him out of the room. Angel and Damien were already up preparing for the task at hand. In a short while they were ready and began to file into the street with the rest of the neighborhood as they made towards the field with San taking the lead.

* * *

Shadow's first stop before searching the city was Sonic's hotel room which was actually Rouge's penthouse apartment. He raced up the many flights and knocked urgently at the door. The moment it opened he rushed in and began to search the apartment freaking out all but Sonic who followed him. 

"Shadow, what the hell man?" he yelled when he finally came to a stop holding up the green chaos emerald. His face showed his determination as he shot Sonic a cold look. "What are you doing with the emerald? We have to take that back to the island."

Rouge had rushed in about to say something when the phone at her hip rang. Shadow grinned. "You should answer that," he said in a voice Sonic remembered hearing. Before he could stop Shadow he was gone, Rouge having grabbed hold of his arm.

"He took the emerald!" he argued once she was off the phone, now moving franticly through the apartment.

"Let him take it," she said, ignoring the shocked look on his face. Rouge willing letting someone take a jewel from her was unheard of. She pulled on her boots then looked towards him as the younger ones filed in around them. "GUN is in the city. They have Kylee and one of the twins. We're going to the field to help find her."

Sonic was taken back by this then came to a quick realization. "But what about Shadow?" he stammered. "He'll be giving them what they want, him!"

Rouge rounded on him. "Did you ever for a split second think that he doesn't care what they want?" Amy gasped as Sonic's eyes widened. "He'll be fine. If anything he'll find them before us and save them. Now let's go. Everyone's waiting."

The search was on. No stone went unturned or door unlocked.

* * *

"LET ME OUT!" Kylee shrieked as she kicked franticly at a plywood door. "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!" 

"God, what the hell is that little bitch yelling about?" a GUN soldier grunted, looking over a crate as it jumped around.

"She says she wants out, and yes I do speak Spanish," said the commander of the small unit as he stared at the large metal doors of the warehouse.

Marcus struggled against the rope restraining him and glared up at the commander. "You should let my sister out!" he said, kicking his dangling legs.

The commander raised the rope so that the small hedgehog was at his eye level. "And why should I do that?"

"She's closto…clostro…she hates small spaces." Planks and splinters of wood flew across the room and Kylee stood in the light once more, heaving and wild-eyed. "And she's a black belt."

The commander narrowed his eyes and tossed Marcus to a soldier. "Hide him." He turned to another. "Put her to sleep."

Kylee's ears perked up at her brother's yelp and she turned to glare at the commander. "You!" she growled. She took one step forward then stopped as something lodged itself into her right arm. She looked to the syringe in her arm then to the soldier holding the tranquilizer gun. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She removed the needle from her arm then ran towards the soldier.

* * *

"Dragon, report!" 

"Nothing man."

"Jordan?"

"Nothing."

"Tweak."

"I think I just spotted Shadow!"

"Follow him."

"Ha! That's funny now tell me I have to kiss him."

"JUST FOLLOW HIM!"

"AH JEEZ, ALRIGHT!" Damien shook his head to try to stop the coming ringing as he tried his best to pursue Shadow in his odd looking vehicle. The glow of the emerald was the only thing he could follow as he was led to the outskirts of town. "Looks like he's heading towards the warehouses."

"Good," José said moving around to the driver's side of his hummer. "Get as close as you can without being seen. I'm on my way." He switched to a wide spread frequency. "Everyone head towards the warehouse district. I want the whole block surrounded. Ami, I want that net up as soon as possible, those bastards aren't getting away from us… Ami? AMI!"

"She's gone," Dragon said in a shaky tone.

"What do you mean? Where'd she go?"

"She's with me. A few of us are heading towards Central City to take care of someone. We'll be back."

"DRAGON!" José threw off his headset and slammed his fist on the dashboard. "Those little…" He growled, started the hummer and pulled out the drive.

"Calm down," Rouge said, crossing her legs. "They'll be fine. Right now we have bigger problems." He sighed then nodded and sped towards the edge of the city with a caravan of cars behind him.

"Hey, José," San yelled over the radio until the red hedgehog picked up his headset. "I'll look out for them OW. I mean we'll look out for them." Ally giggled as she sat back in San's chopper.

José smiled, relieved. "Thanks San, heh, Ally."

* * *

Shadow slid to a halt in the center of the warehouse district. With his eyes narrowed he scanned every building. He raced around hearing the distant roar of motorcycles and cars and grinned. "The gang's all here," he said then suddenly stopped. His ears twitched at a faint humming noise and he looked up to the left. There, glaring down at him from a rooftop were a pair of glowing red eyes. "You again!" he growled and shot towards the roof. 

A man swayed just barely making it to his knees. Blood ran down the side of his face from a sever cut and his left arm was about as useful as a wet noodle. As his vision reddened a sneaker came crashing down on his head. His neck crumbled with a sickening crunch and he fell to the floor once more. His companions' rage built, determined to take this girl down no matter what their commander said.

Kylee stood in a fighter's ring of watching soldiers in a kick boxer's stance, ready for the next attack. It had been over half an hour that this had been going on and she had yet to fatigue.

"Sir, I don't think this was such a good idea," a nervous soldier said to the commander. "Six of our men are already down, four of them dead!"

"Sacrifices must be made," he said in an icy voice. His eyes stayed fixed on Kylee as she bounced on the spot, her eyes as sharp as knives.

"But sir!"

"This is the only way we'll get him to come peacefully. Even with the added precautions we don't want to make that little fucker angry." He smirked nodding somewhat towards the fight. "Besides, I didn't think she'd last this long. Maybe we'll take her too."

"Come on!" the little red hedgehog growled in English to every face that glared at her. "Don't you asses have families?"

"We do!" a man hollered as he ran towards her with one arm drawn back ready to soc her one. She inhaled and shot forward, leapt into the air and let her foot connect with his ugly face. She didn't let him fall back as she made like his head was a step and kicked off it landing behind him as his face slammed into the floor. She grabbed the back of his neck and kicked at his spine until it broke in five places then twisted his neck to make certain he would not get back up. "So do I," she said kicking the newest deceased to the side. Her breathing calmed as she looked over the soldiers. If she could stay standing, many more would die by her hand though that was not her original intent. The first man she killed was on accident and out of blind rage, but she quickly realized that this was the only way out, through blood shed.

Another soldier approached her looking barely in his twenties. He seemed confident that he could take her down with ease. Kylee watched him closely then went once again for the foot to face method but touched a hand instead as she was caught in mid air and pulled to collide with the stone floor. Her arms reached out, touched the floor first and she kicked his knee with her free foot to where it bent in the wrong direction. He collapsed to one knee screaming in pain and she bounced to her feet after being released. She got close and did a double roundhouse kick to his head then a mirage to his chest until his ribcage cracked, the bones piercing his heart and lungs. As the bodies piled up she grew stoic, reaching an eerie calm.

She turned her now blazing gaze to the commander at an off set angle, bangs hanging over her eyes. "The longer you hold me, the more that will die," she said in a calm voice that sent a chill down the spines of those who could understand her.

The commander narrowed his eyes, standing tall with his arms folded behind him. "So be it." He shrugged off her glare then turned to address four dark figures behind him, each with glowing red eyes. Kylee didn't growl at this but leaned back, inhaled deeply and screamed so shrilly it would wake the dead and kill them again.

"Why are you screaming you little bitch!" said a gruff looking soldier.

"Yeah, no one can hear you out here," laughed another. Kylee tilted her head back and began to laugh insanely. She stopped, flashing a devilish grin and waved for the laughing man to come forward to receive his beating.

"I know he heard me," she thought to herself as she and the soldier circled before one another. "He had too." Her adrenaline rush would only last a little longer but it would not take more than a minuet to do away with her opponent.

"That's it!" one man roared and jumped on her from behind, pulling her arms back. She kicked and tried to pull herself free, disregarding the threat of dislocating both arms. Another came forward and attempted to kick her but she caught him between the legs then kicked his head up, snapping his neck. The man holding her put a foot to her back and began to pull back on her arms. She screamed bloody murder as she felt her tendons stretching away from the bone.

The small door to the warehouse flew across the room and a black object connected with the head of the soldier assaulting Kylee. He fell back, releasing her and she collapsed panting, not wanting to move her arms. The soldiers looked to the robotic hedgehog head that bashed the man's skull in then to the door as Shadow stepped in, a wild look in his eyes. "Let her go," he said slowly, approaching the ring. They looked to the commander who signaled for them to leave. They reluctantly left the warehouse and took their positions outside. Shadow raced over to Kylee and held her in his arms. "You alright?" he asked giving himself a mental beating for even asking such a thing.

Kylee opened her eyes and smiled. "I could be worse," she groaned then winced.

Clapping could be heard and they both turned their heads to glare at the commander. "How touching," he said then put his hands behind his back again. "The reunion is over. You'll have plenty of time to catch up once we head back to HQ."

"What?" Shadow said, holding Kylee close. "You only wanted me and I'll go with you just let Kylee and her brother go." Kylee's eyes widened but she had already given into how weak her body was.

"There have been a change of plans. You're girlfriend is far too strong for any normal Mobian so we'll be taking her as well."

"No!" he growled. The commander snapped his fingers and the four robotic hedgehogs stepped forward. The blue one, the original, held Marcus by the ropes that bound him. He was gagged and unconscious.

Kylee grew frantic and screamed, "MARCUS!"

"If you won't cooperate then I have no choice but to beat you into submission." He waved a hand. "Units two through four, take care of him." The commander took a step back as the hedgehogs neared Shadow who moved to place Kylee in a safe spot. "You put this on yourself you know."

Shadow narrowed his eyes as he readied himself, looking between the three. One of them had to be damaged from the fight. According to José, Kylee was an excellent shot and rarely missed. They could not all be perfect. He spotted a graze on the shin plate of the hunter green one and smirked. "Let's do this," he said then shot towards that one. The silver moved in the way, grabbed his arm and lung him into a few crates. He sat up from the rubble shaking his head. "That felt oddly familiar," he groaned then pushed to his feet. He shot around to grab the leg of the green one. "Big mistake!' He yanked it towards him then was suddenly flying into another crate. Shadow growled after this, shot up grabbing pieces of wood then ran at the trio. He raced towards the green once more, spotting the red and silver on either side of him. He tossed the wood at them and while they were busy chopping through it he landed a hard kick into the green's face. He used him to launch towards the ceiling, kicked off it then came back down to finish the job. The red appeared on his right and used his momentum against him, sending him flying into another crate. Shadow sat up again heaving, his eyes blood red.

"He can certainly take a beating," the commander said with a smirk. Silver Sonic 2 nodded then looked to Kylee as she struggled to her feet. "She won't cause any trouble. She's far too weak." He looked down at the girl's brother, a few thoughts running through that mechanized mind.

Shadow sped towards the red one, eyes on fire, faked jumping and slid under it then did a spin dash into it's back sending it to the floor. This left him open as a metal foot connected with the side of his head and he was slammed into the floor. "I am getting tired of this!" he roared and reached into his pocket pulling out the glowing green emerald. He could feel the energy level in the jewel was low and his options were limited. He tightened his grip on the emerald and glared at the two mechanical hedgehogs. "I'm going to end this."

"I don't think so," said the commander. "Use that little gem of yours and unit one will kill the boy."

"No!" Kylee yelled, finally at her feet.

Shadow narrowed his eyes on the commander then Silver Sonic 2 and Marcus. He rolled the gem in his fingers considering his options. He could save the kid but that would only be a temporary solution to their little situation. Chaos control would drain it and chaos sphere would hit the kid.

"He doesn't seem to be backing down," the commander said with a smirk on his face. "Unit one, crush the boy's arms so he knows we're not joking."

"NO!" Kylee screamed as she rushed forward. The commander swung his foot around and she slid back holding her stomach as she reached out for her brother. Shadow tried to move but the robots closed in on him limiting every move he could make.

The commander narrowed his eyes on Kylee. "Stay down girl or I'll have him break your arms too! Unit one, proceed." There was silence. "Unit one that is an order!"

"Please!" Kylee coughed pulling herself forward. Silver Sonic 2 looked down at her then to the boy. "Don't hurt my brother! Please!" Tears began to stream down her face.

"Unit one, don't listen to her now carry out my order!" the commander growled.

"Please!"

"NOW!"

"…No…" Silver Sonic 2 said.

"What!"

He turned his glowing eyes to the commander and repeated himself. "No." He approached Kylee; kneeled before her as he untied Marcus then placed him in her arms.

"Thank you…" she said choking back tears as she hugged her brother.

The commander clenched his fists. "Units two, three and four, destroy unit one!" he roared.

"Not so fast!" Shadow growled as he held up the emerald. "Chaos control…" The room around him began to slow then freeze. With no time to waste he went to work dismantling the three offending robots. Half way done with the last one the emerald began to drain from his energy by his will until he was done then collapsed beside Kylee seconds before the three robots crumbled in their own heaps. He groaned and looked up into her face and smiled. "Hey gorgeous," he sighed reaching a hand up to touch her face. Kylee smiled holding his hand.

"I have had enough of this," the commander yelled and pulled forth a gun then aimed at Shadow and pulled the trigger. A loud ting rang out. The commander narrowed his eyes on Silver Sonic 2 as he stood between Shadow and him, a small dent in his left arm plate. "You!" He aimed his gun once more. "MEN!" There was no response, no shuffle of feet or cocking of weapons. "Where the hell are they?"

"Dead," José said stepping into the warehouse with a GUN helmet in his hand, an UZI in the other. "We were going to let them live, after all they're just following orders, but one of them mouthed off about my sister being dead." He poked a finger through a gun shot hole in the helmet. "I don't like liars and I hate bastards that hurt my family." He cocked his gun and approached the commander who held his gun at him. Silver Sonic 2 took the liberty of disarming him, crushing the gun in one hand. José arched a brow at the metal hedgehog then looked to Shadow. "You keep some weird company man."

"Tell me about it," Shadow laughed, grunting once sitting up. He then looked to Kylee, his vision getting blurry now and tried to stand.

"Take it easy Shady," José said, spinning around the helmet. "I've got this." He whistled and Rouge and the others stepped in. "Get my family to the hospital. I don't want them to see what I'm going to do to this fucker." He narrowed his eyes on the commander as he rose to his full height and readied himself for a fight.

Shadow looked at the commander, seeing the fear in his eyes then closed his. He was done fighting and let his body fall limp, muscles aching and mind fading as he slipped to unconsciousness. The last that he heard was Kylee's sweet voice before blacking out.

* * *

"This isn't over yet," Ami growled over her headset, typing furiously at her laptop. 

"What part of you guys running through a high security military facility DOESN'T SCREAM BAD IDEA!" San yelled glaring down at his new charges as they neared the human city. He moved his chopper forward then stopped before the group. The cars screeched to a halt and Ami glared at him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because we have to!" she yelled, stepping out of the car.

San narrowed his eyes at her. "He sold us out kid! We should let him stay to be killed. Because of him Ky and her brother are probably dead by now and who knows who else!"

"He still doesn't deserve to die by their hands!" The fox and cat glared at one another for a long while until San groaned and pulled up to let them pass. "Thanks."

"For what? Letting you guys go off and get yourselves killed?" He watched as the group rolled on and kicked at the control panel.

"Calm down San," Ally said, tinkering away with the firearms on the helicopter. "As long as we're watching over them they'll be alright."

He continued to follow sticking low once they came to the outer limits of the city. "I know but once they're inside we can't help much. We can only hope they haul ass out of there." Ally nodded then tested out the 360 range of the machinegun.

Ami sat back, staring at her laptop screen as she typed furiously, pulling up map after map. "We're here," Dragon said, looking to her out of the corner of his eye.

"Good, what street?" she asked scanning the map.

Dragon looked up to the nearest street sign. "Madison Avenue."

She swiveled the map around. "Okay, everyone follow us." She looked down at her screen then up at the road. "Take the next left." Dragon nodded and hit the turn sharp, the four cars taking his lead. Ami doubled checked the map then looked up at the street names. "Right…left…" She smirked as a glass building came into view. "We here." Dragon narrowed his eyes, gripping the wheel. "There's a parking garage around the corner."

"Are we trying to be discrete?" the green hedgehog Alex asked as he zoomed under the security bar at the entrance of the garage.

"Hell no, I want these bastards to know we're here so they're up when we bring 'em down."

Alex grinned then revved his engine till it echoed off the stone walls and sent alarms off. "WOOO!"

Dragon laughed, stopping before an elevator. He looked at the size of the doors then eyed one of the cars in his rearview mirror. "I think we can take these inside."

"Serious?" Ami gasped then looked around. "You're right. You're so smart!" She leaned over and kissed him then slipped out of the car with her laptop. She tapped the down button on the panel and a screen flipped out. "Perfect." She pulled out a cord from her pocket, connected it to her laptop then to a socket next to the screen. She began to type away grinning as the screen flashed. "First things first. Lights out." She tapped the enter key and the lights were down leaving the garage pitch black. The elevator doors slid open and Ami smiled stepping inside then moved to direct Dragon's car in. "We can only go one at a time so wait up here. I'll bring the elevator back up once we have the right floor." The doors closed and Dragon killed the engine then leaned out the window to look at Ami. She was busy typing when she noticed he was staring and turned. "What?"

He shook his head then sat back. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked, his ears hanging low. She paused for a moment then nodded.

The elevator stopped and Dragon rolled out into the dark hall and parked close. "Be ready for anything." She said then went to the garage again to pick up the other four. When the last one was brought down Dragon was waiting outside the doors with his tagger gear on and a few cans in his hands and his belt. "What are you doing?"

He grinned. "Marking new territory. Should only take a moment." He stepped into the elevator, strapped on his mask then went to work. In less than five minuets he was done and so was Ami checking out the layout of GUN headquarters. Inside the elevator was a horrible looking black demon and the words, "Fucked with the wrong furs!" over it in red. Dragon stepped out laughing like a mad man then kissed his girl. "I am a genius."

"Yeah, now get your genius ass in the damn car," Ami laughed then slipped in after him.

"So where to first?" David, the brown otter from the football game asked.

Dragon tossed him a spray-paint can as well as the others then pulled his car out front. "First let's fuck up these halls!" he howled. The group joined in on the noise, alerting the attention of any human within range.

Engines revved and tires squealed as the quartet sped down the halls, their passengers taking their paint to the walls. Scientists and solders would take to the halls then jump back through doors setting off alarms. "WHOOO! Let 'em come!" Ami yelled. She began to hack into the surveillance system and linked it to the map of the facility. "Take the next right. He should be in the room at the end of this hall."

"Got it." He hugged the corner, ditching the empty can then looked ahead. "Breaking down the door?" Ami nodded. "Sweet!" Dragon floored it then slammed on the breaks, skidding to a halt at the last minuet so the car knocked the door off the hinges. The group of liberators hopped out of their cars and surrounded the door with weapons held up.

Ami stepped out of the car and stepped into the dark room. "We're here for the half breed," she said.

"And possibly some neat stuff," Alex added.

"Shut up stupid!" Ami hissed then turned back around. She shook her head, flipped open her lap top then type a few times. The lights came on and a storage room was put in view, Jordan the half fox human sat tied to a chair, his head hung low. Ami growled, ran up to him and slapped him.

Jordan's head shot up and he began to scream, "I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW!" He blinked not seeing anyone standing over him then looked ahead to a pair of yellow eyes. "…oh crap." He began to struggle against the ropes holding him.

"Hold still you ass hole!" Ami huffed then moved to untie him.

"What, you're not going to beat the hell out of me then kill me?" he asked, rubbing his arms and wrists once they were free.

"We can wait until we get home for that."

"Home? Are you serious?" he asked, eyes wide as he picked up Ami. She gave him a look and he understood setting her back down. He followed her to the cars and groaned some. "Hate these damn things.

"Are you going to complain or get in?"

"I'm going, I'm going but first if it's not that big of a problem can we"

"WE ARE NOT TAKING THE HUMAN KIDS!" Ami screamed.

Jordan narrowed his eyes as the group shot around to turn gunfire to the soldiers filing into the hall. "You forget I'm human too."

"You're also an idiot!"

"Guys, can we wrap this up already?" Dragon yelled over his shoulder.

Ami glared at Jordan then sighed. "Okay." The fox howled and hugged her tightly. "LET GO AND GET IN THE DAMN CAR!" she shrieked hitting him to get free. He slipped into the back seat of Dragon's car feeling a bit cramped.

Dragon ducked in after shooting off a round and turned the car sharply. "Where to?" he asked revving his engine as troops began to close in.

"Take a right at the end of this hall," Jordan said picking up a gun and arching a brow at the rest that sat around him. "You guys came packing!"

"Less talking more shooting!" Dragon said as he took the right. "Where next?"

"Take a left at the end of this hall and just keep going straight. There should be a work shop at the end." Jordan did the best he could at leaning out the window and shot behind them at surveillance cameras and security weapons dropping down from the ceiling. Dragon took the final turn causing Jordan to smack his head into the car. "GEEBUS! Who talk you how to drive?"

"You!" Dragon said laughing. Jordan grumbled rubbing his head and watched as they crashed through the lab door. The teens inside scattered and grabbed every odd looking weapon they created, aiming at the cars.

"WHOA!" Jordan said climbing out the car with his hands up. "Easy guys, these are my friends from back home." Jamie eyed the group and the hostile one following then lowered her weapon.

"Jordan, what's going on?" she asked as the others ran around to reinforce the now broken doors.

"We're leaving," he said looking to Ami who crossed her arms. "All of us."

"Ah, sweet!" Jake yelled jumping around.

"What!" Jamie snapped. Jake stopped smiling and slipped behind Mark.

Jordan sighed and began to drag her towards the car. "There's no time to explain, it's just become very dangerous for us to be here."

Ami rolled her eyes. "Can we hurry up and go already?" she yelled.

Jamie stopped and looked around to the guys who were already packing the essentials. She sighed and looked to Jordan. "At least let us take our wheels instead." He smiled and followed her to the connecting garage.

Else where above the skis of GUN headquarters, gunshots rang out into the night sky. "SAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ally yelled with her hands over her ears.

He stopped laughing and pointed down. "Leaving my mark," he said, beaming.

Ally looked down at GUN building and smiled. "San loves Ally," she awed then jumped on him.

"Uh, sweetie, we're loosing altitude!" he said trying to regain control of the chopper. She gasped and let him go then gave him a quick kiss. He smiled. "Much better." He blinked and looked around for a moment. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

San looked past Ally and his left eye twitched. "Buckle up cause we've got company!" He jerked the controls back and began to climb as three GUN choppers followed behind them Ally braced herself and when she could balance herself made to the guns.

"I can't get a shot, we have to turn around," She said swiveling the little station around. San was busy as they shot across the city trying to stay out of range of enemy firepower. He shot pass a possible hiding spot and took the next turn to come around to enter it on the other side. The alley way was too small for the GUN choppers to follow and they pulled up to wait on the other side for them to exit. San shooting up through the buildings then came down on the choppers. Ally smirked and swung around to take out one of the copters then watch it crash into the one below it. "Man that was too easy."

"Yeah," San said grinning as he kicked back. He heard another set of chopper blades and cursed and pulled then down towards the street and shot across it. "Forgot about the other one. Hold on Ally!" He darted across the street back towards GUN HQ, going into barrel rolls. "I can't shake him!"

"San…roc…ROCKETS!" Ally screamed.

"SHIT!" He jerked the copter to the right, barely evading the rockets as the blew up part of GUN's lawn. "That was too close." He narrowed his eyes and turned back around and made towards the enemy. "I'm done playing this stupid game," he growled and seems ready to ram the other. It shot up and he followed. "Ally."

"I'm on it." She waited as the system locked on and fired the largest rocket they had on board, scribed on the front in red paint "This'll hurt!". San pulled back in time as the chopper exploded and made back to HQ.

"Hey kid's fun time is over," he said over the radio. "It's time to go home." He looked down and saw a caravan of vehicles shoot onto the street led by what looked like a tank with four-wheel drive and a motorcycle towards the back. San arched a brow at the other additions to the group and shook his head. "What did I tell you about bringing home strays?" he laughed and followed them out of the city.

"Aw, come on," Dragon whined. "We promise to take care of them." The rest of the group on radio laughed and floored it once they reached the outskirts of the city.

San shook his head. "José isn't going to like this."

"Oh he'll get over it," Ally said smiling then kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

Did you really think I would end a story like that? No I didn't think so either. Thanks to Daniel Renard and his lovely girlfriend for letting me use their characters. The conclusion is coming soon people and I know you're excited. So am I. The final chapter will mark the beginning of my senior year. And since I started this fic when I was in the 6th grade it really means a lot to me. Finishing this means I'll pay more attention to the other fics which I hope you all will read. ;). Well it's like 2am right now and I've got to get some sleep. Review please.

All Sonic characters, places and elements mentioned that are part of the original Comic book series and/or games are © Archie/ Sega sonic team

Any other fan based characters and original creations are © Me, Jalisa Jackson


	16. Say It Ain't So

You know the legal deal. I don't own these characters and blah blah blah, I do own some of them, you know the almost original ones blah blah.

* * *

Chapter 15: Say It Ain't So. 

Red shot through the doors of Xander General followed by orange. "José, will you stop for a second!" San yelled then reached out to stop his friend. "Look man we brought"

"San I don't have time for this man!" he said wrenching free. "My sis has been in the hospital for two days and no one will tell me why. So, unless you know I suggest you let me find out. Nothing is more important than my family." He then turned back around and made to the front desk leaving San to look on.

"Damn..." He sighed then walked off.

The woman behind the desk looked up from her nails at José then waved down one hall. "Same room as always," she said then looked away.

José shot off not bothering to take the elevator, racing up the stairs then down a hall to the Ruez family's reserved hospital room. Kylee's closest friends were waiting outside and stood up when they saw him and jumped in his way. "You can't go in there!" Angel said and began to push him back with the help of Damien.

"What the fuck?" he yelled trying to break through. "She's my sister! I have a right to know what's been going on! Now let me through!"

"YOU CAN'T!" Angel yelled her voice cracking as the guys looked away.

"Who says, that pervert Johnny?!"

"No." Angel sighed and her dropping mood seemed to calm him down. "Ky doesn't want to see you yet."

"What…" He blinked feeling his heart begin to pump faster. "What happened? She's alright isn't she?"

"We don't know," Jaxon said moving towards the opposite wall with his hands curled into fists. "She won't talk to any of us. She just lays there."

He began to laugh nervously, pacing around the door, looking to his sister's friends. "She's gotta be alright. What did Johnny say?"

"He wouldn't tell us," Angel said chewing on her bottom lip.

"No, no!" He paced around more growing frantic. "She's, she's going to be alright. She's not dying; she's not brain dead or…" He shot through the group and nearly broke down the door. "KYLEENA!" He looked across the room to one of the many beds seeing his baby sister laying there on her side, back towards him and facing the window. The rest of the room was filled with balloons, flowers and cards, a diamond bracelet anchoring down a cluster of balloons. That gift was obviously from Rouge. He approached her bed, sucking in his bottom lip, as he looked at her back, unmoving as if his outburst was never made. "Ky…" he whispered. He moved so that he was facing her and saw her eyes open and red as she stared forward. He blinked following her gaze to the black hedgehog lying in the bed close to hers. He lay on his stomach, a position the nurses were constantly trying to move him out of in the forty-five hours he'd been asleep. They had to leave him like that after the fifth attempt and put the IV in his leg instead of his arm.

"Didn't everyone tell you?" Kylee said, blinking once before turning her eyes to her brother.

"I was worried, Ky," he said as he kneeled by her bed. "What could possibly be so bad that you can't tell anyone? I mean you are alright…aren't you?" He brushed back a few strands of hair from her face. She barley flinched. "Kylee?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'll tell you after I tell him," she said, shifting away from him.

"But"

"Go!" she hissed. "Paco is in the room across from ours. You should go see how he is." José narrowed his eyes and nodded. He kissed his little sister on the forehead then left the room to go see if Paco was awake.

So Kylee waited for thirty long minuets as she watched Shadow in his sleep. She broke down and cried several times to herself and when she figured he wouldn't wake she sat up and read through all the cards she was given.

Black eyelids twitched then scrunched up and Shadow turned over to one side then back onto his stomach when he felt something in the back of his knee. He blinked ruby eyes blurry before they focused on the pillow his face was previously buried in. "Hm?" He looked around and saw Kylee reading then smiled. "Hey gorgeous," he said in a groggy tone. He pushed up on his elbows then scratched behind one of his ears. "Did I miss anything?" Silver eyes locked on his, bloodshot again. He frowned. "Ky, what's wrong?" She looked away, biting her bottom lip. He pulled his leg forward and pulled out the IV then moved to kneel by her bed, taking her hand in his. "Ky, please tell me what's wrong." He could not bear to see her like this, see her cry and not know the reason. He arched a brow as she lifted up her shirt to expose stitches above her pelvic bone. "You had surgery?"

Tears began to roll down her cheeks again as she dropped her shirt. Her bottom lip quivered for a while before she finally began to speak. "When I got here I was in pretty bad shape but you already knew that." She inhaled holding her arms across her stomach then continued. "Johnny, Dr. Herbert, said that he was amazed I was still conscious. I had a few broken ribs and my organs had seen better days but I was going to live. He said I had enough tranquilizers in my system to bring down an elephant. Then things went bad. All I remember was being wet then I passed out."

Shadow's eyes shifted around for a while then he turned Kylee and pulled her close to the edge of the bed to rest between her legs. He looked up into her eyes and reached up to brush away a few tears. "Ky?"

She inhaled again, closing her eyes. "I was over a month pregnant."

Shadow's eyes widened as his heart seemed to stop. "…was…?"

She sniffed, looking down at him. "I had a miscarriage."

He looked around for a moment rocking slightly. He ran a hand over his quills then looked up at her. "Couldn't they have done something to save it?" He was unaware of why he was reacting the way that he was but the fact that he was an unknowing father for over a month had struck a cord. She shook her head. "Did they even try?"

"It was too late. Between me fighting and all the drugs in my system…it didn't stand a chance." She gulped then cried harder, shaking all over. "It's all my fault. I should've just stayed put. Idiot me had to fight!"

Shadow tried his best to calm her down but failed by being mute. "It wasn't your fault!" he said looking at the floor. His temper was starting to catch up to him now as he knew who was to blame. "You…you didn't know."

"But I should have known!" she screamed, holding her hands over her face. "I mean with the way we kept going at it."

"Ky!" Shadow said in a stern tone. He pulled her gaze back to him, staring into those star like eyes as his began to fill with tears. "It's not your fault. You didn't show any signs, there was no way of even assuming you were. You're not the reason your…our child is gone. It's just one more thing GUN's taken from me." He sucked in quite a bit of air then touched his forehead to her stomach.

"I'm sorry baby…"

"No. I'm sorry." His arms slipped around her and he hugged her as tight as he could without hurting her. His eyes were slammed shut as a stream of tears raced down his cheeks. "I should have been there."

"You came as soon as you could."

The door opened and Dr. Herbert stepped in with the group in the waiting room following him. He looked over the couple then to his clipboard. "I'm glad to see the both of you finally up," he said in a low voice. "We'll have to run a few more tests to make sure everything is alright. You can leave in the morning. You should get some more rest till then." He turned to Kylee's friends. "That means you guys have to go home."

"WHAT?" Jaxon cried. "No way man. We're stayin'!"

"Guys," Ky said, clearing her throat. "Just go okay. I'm fine. Johnny, could you get my brother for me?" He sighed and nodded. "Thanks." Shadow composed himself as best he could then moved to sit on her bed and pulled her into his lap, holding her close. When José finally arrived, he took a seat on Shadow's bed and looked to his sister. She retold what she had said to Shadow and his expression turned from anxiety to pain. He held his sister for a long while then kissed her forehead again. He said he would be back in the morning to pick them up then took his leave.

Shadow sighed and hugged her again in the hopes that it would help to ease the pain in their hearts. He nuzzled into her neck, feeling her curl up in his arms. "Ky, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to but…what would you have named it?" he asked looking down at her.

She closed her and smiled some. "If it was a boy, Alexander," she said with a rueful smile. "And if it was a girl"

"Kathleen?" She blinked and looked up at him, her eyes watering over again. He smiled and kissed her sweetly as the tears fell down her cheeks.

José sighed as he stepped out of the elevator and into the ground floor lobby. He looked up seeing San sitting close to a window, waiting for him like any good friend would. They meet at the door and José shifted his shoulders. "You had news," he said dryly.

San looked towards the clear sky. "First how's Ky?" he asked.

"She had a miscarriage."

He stiffened at how cold he announced it then sighed. "I'll send more flowers later." His friend grunted and he got the picture. "There are some new additions to our city."

"Who?" he asked as they turned into the parking building.

"The humans Jordan worked with back in Central City." José growled, curling his hands into fists. "They're just kids, man. Oldest is, I think, eighteen. Right now they're staying with Ami and Dragon and are keeping them in check."

José groaned and slammed his head on the driver's door of the hummer. "Do they have families?" he asked, pealing his face off the door.

San shrugged. "Not that I know of."

"Well find out. I want to know everything by next week."

The fox's eyes widened. "You're not thinking about killing these people are you?" His friend climbed into the hummer then looked back and grinned. "No…Are you serious?"

The group of humans gathered in Ami and Dragon's living room jaws dropped. "We…can stay?" Jake said cautiously. San nodded. "AW SWEET!" The teens yelled and celebrated.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Jamie said holding up a hand. "What's the catch?"

"Damn girl you always have to kill the mood," Kevin said giving Andy a high-five. "Who cares what the catch is? We get to stay here and build to our hearts content."

"Or until we die!" Tommy laughed, strutting around.

Jamie narrowed her eyes on San. "That death glare looks familiar. Anyways there's no catch. My associates and I will be fetching your families and bringing them here so you can get out of Ami and Dragon's love nest."

Andy and Daniel rolled their eyes. "Count mine out," Daniel said crossing his arms.

"Why, as if I really want to know?"

"Abusive drunk are just a few adjectives that come to mind."

"Psychopathic mother over here," Andy growled. "Besides I'm eighteen, I don't need a family."

"Yeah, well you're going to need a place to stay and here isn't one of them. Jordan still has his old place up town."

"Yeah well it's um…" Jordan mumbled the rest while looking off, rubbing the back of his neck.

San arched a brow. "What?"

"It…burned down."

The orange fox groaned, throwing up his arms. "What the hell is wrong with this place? I leave for a few years to make lovey with a hottie and this place goes to hell in a hand basket. "He growled grabbing his ears. "You guys seriously need a baby sitter around here!" He sighed, letting go of his ears. "Okay…okay. I'll help you guys find a place to stay but I am not paying for it ya got that?" They smiled and nodded. "Okay now"

"HOLY SHIT!" someone yelled from upstairs.

"Oh this can't be good." San raced upstairs with the kids to Ami's room. "What? What's wrong OH SHIT!" He jumped back seeing Silver Sonic 2 standing over Ami and Dragon at a desk. "IT'S ONE OF THEM!"

Ami looked back at him. "Chill out," she said, shaking her head. "He's the only good one."

"We renamed him Zen," Jamie said giving 'Zen' a high five. "So what's with the screaming?"

Ami held up her laptop and San's eyes widened at the image on the screen. "Holy shit!"

* * *

So it has finally come to an end. I'm a little depressed cause I promised it would be done, what? Last year august and here it is way after that. Over 3 years put into this story and no it's not done. But seeing as how I owe it to myself to put this on the back burner with all my other fanfictions it will be. I'm currently working on an original piece that will be made into a manga in the coming years. I'm writing and my best friend Dusty Bronze (check out her stories here and on fictionpress) will be doing all the art.

Fear not! I get writer's block so all my old fanfictions old and still in progress will be an outlet to help me get back on my feet.

As for the title of the chapter. It was fitting. I like the song Say It Aint So by Weezer and it's heartwrenching. Go listen to it!


	17. Update, Please read

Good morning kids. Now before you have a hissy-fit about this not being another chapter I must remind you that this story has ended. I'm just going to revamp it. Until the rewriting is finished and ready to replace the ancient shit I think I'll do commentary. Chapter by chapter of course. So send in your questions, any at all! Don't clog up the review station though. Send you're questions to my yahoo mirah_march_hare . I'll reply in an end of story wrap up. Ask anything you want. What I liked about the story, what I didn't like, what I wish I had done and so on. I'll answer everything. I would also like to exhibit fan art, not my art but yours of course, and I know I'm getting cocky when I think there is the possibility of such a strong fan base. Meh. All question are going to remain anonymous so no worries. I really want to hear what you guys have to say. ^_^


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